Filter not working

[Nostromo]

I did a 50% water change into my day 10 of fishless cycle as it has stalled put back the same amount of water that I took out now the filter that I have the aqueon quiet flow 75 led pro is flashing red telling me that I need to change the filter pads they are only 10 days old!!!!!!!!!!!!! I took a small amount of water out to see if that helped it didn't at all I beginning to lose it nothing is working right at all. I have spent hundreds of dollars to get where I am now it is waste of time and money

 

[V227]

Dont buy a new filter pad. Rinse the pad off in your WC bucket using "Old" tank water. Use the same filter pad until it starts to decompose. It should last many months. IMO any peice of equiptment labeled "Aqueon" is junk. Research Fluvals, Aqua Clear 70 and 110 power filters.
Fish keeping is a wonderful, rewarding hobby, but can be expensive unless you know your way around it. Be sure to post questions next time you want to buy.

 

[coralbandit]

Are you adding ammonia ? If so what is your ammonia level?
The DR tims is a source of bacteria that still need a food source to thrive and grow..
If the filter is working ignore the light..
I am all aquaclear for HOBs as they seem to be the best HOB IMO..I have over 30.

 

[Mebbid]

Of course the filter is telling you to change the pads... That's the way the filter companies continue to fleece the aquarium community out of money.

The filter media should not be changed out until it's literally falling apart which should take at minimum 6 months.

What is the reason you believe your cycle stalled?

 

[Nostromo]

I have ammonia in its 4ppm I did a 50% water change yesterday, I am 11days into this fishless cycle in 11 days the ammonia level hasn't changed, today after the 50%water change it is still 4ppm

 

[Mebbid]

When judging a fishless cycle you need to keep an eye on nitrite, nitrate, and pH. Keeping the pH above 6.4 us a major part of fishless cycling.

That being said, your results aren't abnormal. Just give it time

 

[Nostromo]

I have no idea why the cycle has stalled that is why I joined this site to hopefully get some advice I did a 50% water change yesterday that didn't do a thing at all nitrites=0 , ph7.5, ammonia 4pmm, nitrate=0 the exact same figures on day 1 this is now day 11 nothing ever changes same figures over and over again

 

[toolman]

I have no idea why the cycle has stalled that is why I joined this site to hopefully get some advice I did a 50% water change yesterday that didn't do a thing at all nitrites=0 , ph7.5, ammonia 4pmm, nitrate=0 the exact same figures on day 1 this is now day 11 nothing ever changes same figures over and over again

A fishless cycle normally takes around 4-6 weeks if everything goes well. As others have said be patient.

Second the opinions on Aquaclear filters, much more room for customizable filter media. Buying cartridges is a gimick to get your $.

 

[Angellove78]

If you have another tank or know someone with a tank that is fully cycled you can speed up the process by using gravel, or some of the tank water out of the other tanks. If not, like everyone says patients will pay off in the long run. Just rinse the filter out and if it was me I'd disconnect that light in the filter. Don't give up. There's always ups and downs on everything.

 

[toolman]

If you have another tank or know someone with a tank that is fully cycled you can speed up the process by using gravel, or some of the tank water out of the other tanks. If not, like everyone says patients will pay off in the long run. Just rinse the filter out and if it was me I'd disconnect that light in the filter. Don't give up. There's always ups and downs on everything.

There would be no bacteria in the water and only in the substrate after the tank has matured, but even then the vast majority will reside in the filter. Bacteria will form on the decorations, rocks, and wood in small amounts as a tank cycles, but thats usually not enough to help a great deal.

If you want to speed up the cycle (still takes a good amount of time, not instant) try using a bacterial starter such as Tetra safe start+, Seachem stability, Fluval cycle or Dr.Tims one and only.

 

[Angellove78]

There would be no bacteria in the water and only in the substrate after the tank has matured, but even then the vast majority will reside in the filter. Bacteria will form on the decorations, rocks, and wood in small amounts as a tank cycles, but thats usually not enough to help a great deal.

If you want to speed up the cycle (still takes a good amount of time, not instant) try using a bacterial starter such as Tetra safe start+, Seachem stability, Fluval cycle or Dr.Tims one and only.

Worked for me in my 10 gallon

 

[toolman]

Worked for me in my 10 gallon

Again, there's no bacteria in water you would just be putting dirty water in the new tank. Other stuff would have a small amount of bacteria on them in a mature tank. Bacteria needs something to grow on and reproduce. Bacterial starters have the bacteria suspended in liquid like a medicine, but once added to your tank they attatch to surfaces to grow.

My conditions are very easy to cycle a tank, maybe yours are too. I did a cycle with fish in 3 weeks with no dangerous spikes to ammonia or nitrites when I restarted in the hobby after 15 years away by doing water changes to keep levels low.

 

[Angellove78]

OK, bacteria is not in water, but putting DIRTY... water from another tank, that is already cycled. Will help cycle a new one. the "dirt" in the water from the older tank will settle on things in the tank and glass which will make the good bacteria you need for the tank. Yes! Used gravel or even better a used filter would work alittle faster. But my point is, the bacteria has to come from somewhere it produces from dirty water. Cycling a fishless tank is doing the same thing, adding this and adding that to get the bacteria to grow. Dirty water(old tank water, cycled water) will do that too! Just saying... I have done it, it works! Just space your water changes and give it time to grow. Test it, when it reads high on levels do a 25-30% water change. Depending on the your tests.

 

[54seaweed]

OK, bacteria is not in water, but putting DIRTY... water from another tank, that is already cycled. Will help cycle a new one. the "dirt" in the water from the older tank will settle on things in the tank and glass which will make the good bacteria you need for the tank. Yes! Used gravel or even better a used filter would work alittle faster. But my point is, the bacteria has to come from somewhere it produces from dirty water. Cycling a fishless tank is doing the same thing, adding this and adding that to get the bacteria to grow. Dirty water(old tank water, cycled water) will do that too! Just saying... I have done it, it works! Just space your water changes and give it time to grow. Test it, when it reads high on levels do a 25-30% water change. Depending on the your tests.

There would be no bacteria in the water and only in the substrate after the tank has matured,

 

[Angellove78]

There would be no bacteria in the water and only in the substrate after the tank has matured,

I'm not saying there's bacteria in the water. I'm saying the water from an old tank will help become cycled alittle faster.

 

[54seaweed]

it really wouldn't help as the water column isn't were the bb is .