Filter cleaning

[PandaKing]

Ever since I decided to go with planted tank it seems like I’m havin to clean the filter out more often cause itts clogging from this brown sludge like stuff on sponge an media basket. Any idea if this gonna be normal? Iv never had to clean a filter out this much(once every 2 weeks).

[goatnad]

Pictures and a bit more info would help. How long has the tank been setup? What substrate are you using? What filter are you using? Is this brown stuff only on the filter? Usually brown stuff in aquariums means diatoms which should go away after a bit but I've never heard it described as sludge so you might have something different going on.

[King Fisher]

Brown sludge can accumulate from overfeeding. But not sure why it would because of plants.

[PandaKing]

Originally Posted by goatnad

Pictures and a bit more info would help. How long has the tank been setup? What substrate are you using? What filter are you using? Is this brown stuff only on the filter? Usually brown stuff in aquariums means diatoms which should go away after a bit but I've never heard it described as sludge so you might have something different going on.

When I get home I’ll post pics, an I’m using flora max with root tabs. Feed fish once a day an the amount I feed is 4-5 tiny shrimp pellets, pinch of sinking granules and 2 algae wafers. Most the time the shrimp take off with most the granules an the Cory’s an kuhli loaches way the granules am wafers. An it’s been setup like this for a couple months when I got rid of the chiclids

[PandaKing]

Originally Posted by King Fisher

Brown sludge can accumulate from overfeeding. But not sure why it would because of plants.

An idk I’m just assuming it was the plants or the log cause didn’t really start till got rid of couple fish an added a piece of wood an few extra plants. An it’s like a medium light brown that covers the bottom of media basket an makes cleaning filter sponge a pain in the rear

[Barliman]

Originally Posted by PandaKing

Ever since I decided to go with planted tank it seems like I’m havin to clean the filter out more often cause itts clogging from this brown sludge like stuff on sponge an media basket. Any idea if this gonna be normal? Iv never had to clean a filter out this much(once every 2 weeks).

Yes, on heavily planted tanks it's normal (in my experience, at least). One of my 20-longs is nearly a jungle, and the filters need maintenance every 10-days to two weeks.You can slow this down by using pre-filter sponges, but they'll still need to be taken care of more often than you might expect.

[Caliban07]

Originally Posted by PandaKing

An idk I’m just assuming it was the plants or the log cause didn’t really start till got rid of couple fish an added a piece of wood an few extra plants. An it’s like a medium light brown that covers the bottom of media basket an makes cleaning filter sponge a pain in the rear

Take the sponge out and squeeze it in to a light bucket or container. If it looks like (see below) light brown amd fluffy, it’s probably just mulm. When you look at the sponge in the filter you’re probably seeing mulm covered in a biofilm that gives it a slimy/sludgy appearance. Planted tanks are pretty dirty but if you have a perfectly functioning biofilter (which it sounds like you have) the organic matter is pretty rapidly broken down in to mulm which is what is left when organic matter is broken down to its simplest form. It’s non toxic and good for the aquarium. Just keep on top of the filter so that it doesn’t clog and impede gas exchange.

[PandaKing]

Originally Posted by Caliban07

Take the sponge out and squeeze it in to a light bucket or container. If it looks like (see below) light brown amd fluffy, it’s probably just mulm. When you look at the sponge in the filter you’re probably seeing mulm covered in a biofilm that gives it a slimy/sludgy appearance. Planted tanks are pretty dirty but if you have a perfectly functioning biofilter (which it sounds like you have) the organic matter is pretty rapidly broken down in to mulm which is what is left when organic matter is broken down to its simplest form. It’s non toxic and good for the aquarium. Just keep on top of the filter so that it doesn’t clog and impede gas exchange.

Attachment 311299

That is exactly what it looks like

[Caliban07]

Originally Posted by PandaKing

That is exactly what it looks like

Then it is completely normal.

[PandaKing]

Originally Posted by Caliban07

Then it is completely normal.

Ok cool lol an ya only thing I have in filter is sponge(might add second one just Incase I wanna setup another tank) an ammonia removing media an biomax media. It’s been up an running for few months now

[Caliban07]

Originally Posted by PandaKing

Ok cool lol an ya only thing I have in filter is sponge(might add second one just Incase I wanna setup another tank) an ammonia removing media an biomax media. It’s been up an running for few months now

Did you seed this tank with bacteria?

[PandaKing]

Originally Posted by Caliban07

Did you seed this tank with bacteria?

No I don’t know what that is [emoji23]I started this tank back in feb, then changed the substrate out(caribsea freshwater sand)in May to flora max, then added all my plants when I switched to the new filter.

[Caliban07]

Originally Posted by PandaKing

No I don’t know what that is [emoji23]I started this tank back in feb, then changed the substrate out(caribsea freshwater sand)in May to flora max, then added all my plants when I switched to the new filter.

Well what lever you did it’s worked [emoji846]