filter question

[krap101]

okay i just replaced the media like 3 days ago and it wont clear up anymore again... its happened alot of time like 4... so the water if coming out of where the intake tube goes into the filter box thingy ya kno...

my hunch is theres algae growing in the filter box.. well i think its algae.. its a brownish gue and in some parts its a lil stringy... and its growing on my media so the waters not going though very well... so i was wondering if i should try an algae cleaner upper thingy... i should get my package of plants soon enough
right now i have 1 amazon sword and couple of those bulbs you buy from the store.. its like nymphea (dwarf lilly) and apogoton (kinda looks like a java fern.. about 7 apogs and like 4 lillys
but i think about 3 of the apogs died and maybe like 1 lilly

my nitrates are around 15 or 25 cant remember... ill have to check sometime

off ebay...

1 java moss (bout aize of softball)
1 java fern
6 anacheris
5 moneywort
1 compacta sword
3 crypt luetas

 

[Endgame319]

Your best bet would be to take the filter apart and just remove the gunk manually. And why did you change the media? The only media that needs to be changed regularly is the carbon, everything else you can just rinse in dechlorinated water. What size is your tank and what kind of lighting do you got on it. Your plants shouldn't be dying if you have enough lighting.

 

[krap101]

i have a 10 galllon

2 10 watt floresent lights.. maybe too much light?? thats about 2 watts per gallon
i heard that if ur plants are like clear brownish it needs mrore iron??

and wait the media is the lil cottony stuff that "mechanically" traps the waste or watever... i tried rinsing it out.. like once a day

about 6 hours later theres the gunk again...

and i dont really think i can take it apart because all it is is a box, motor, inpeller, intake tube, impeller housing, biowheel, and the filter cartrage..

yeah i meant filter cartrage or watever but i was thinking about media for sum reason. and its kinda hard 2 change the media because its automatically sewed or sealed...

 

[krap101]

i was wondering is it an alge or just dead plant stuff?

 

[QTOFFER]

Krap, I have the same Penguin Mini filter on my 10 gal QT and my 7 gal bowfront.
Once a week, I remove the filter cartridge and swish it around in a bucket of tank water. I have to rub the brown gunky stuff off with my hand - it's a combination of fish poop and decomposing food (YUCK!). I completely replace the cartridge when the blue pad starts to fall apart (about every 2 -3 months).

If you do this and see gunk there six hours later, then you just need to gravel vac more often.

Whatever you do, don't mess with the biowheel or you'll lose your good bacteria!

 

[krap101]

oh i wasnt talking about the bio filter