Top fin 30

[vero]

Hi,

I have a top fin 30 on my 20gal aquarium. I think it doesn't filter enough. I really have to do a 20% pwc every week. The water gets yellow (some of it is due to the piece of wood I have in there, but it seems that the water is not just tinted but also not clear, though it is not really cloudy... hard to explain). There is also a lot of debris on the bottom as if the filter doesn't stir up the water enough. I'm careful nt to overfeed.

I was thinking of buying a canister filter (because they filter really well, but mainly because they are very quiet) but it is too expensive for me at the moment.

I used to have an aquaclear 20 on a 10 gal tank and the filtration was great. I like the sponge that comes foe the aquaclear. I think the media makes a big difference. I don't like the top fin pouch... it's really not a lot of media. Could I buy aquaclear media and put it in the top fin? How about the floss people talk about? Is there a problem with putting more media (for example if I decide to put two pouches instead of one) in there (of course being careful that it's not so tightly packed that the water can't go through!)?

Thanks
Vero

 

[nitrous]

if you have the resources just get a new aqua clear and ya mine does the same thing i clean the bag and itll flow full streat for maybe 3 days and then itll go to dribbles down but im living with it now

 

[jcarlilesiu]

In a heavily stocked tank, you will get alot of mulm on the bottom, especially in a planted tank. No filter i believe will "stir" up the tank bottom enough to get the stuff that falls to the bottom. If it does its going to be like white water rafting. Gravel vacuuming is the best answer

 

[Konrade]

The water being yellow is probably due to the carbon in your cartridge being old. Replace your cartridge anmd see what happens.

 

[nitrous]

the water may also look yellow by the kind of lights you have

 

[Guest]

I used to have a top fin 40 on my 29 gallon tank until two days ago. It died without a reason. I went and got a whisper double canister 30-60 gallon filter and it is a LOT quieter.


also I noticed that the top fin never had the sponge deal in front of the filter pad. Whisper does. I am guessing that is significant.