Thread: Help with a fish tank filter please......

quite often wild fish have parasites, nematode worms, for example
when they are put into an environment that is not really suitable, the worms can take over and kill the fish

I have a big fish pond outside and I am not an expert I got alsorts of fish in there and never have a problem also use the water straight from the well, ok got plenty of plants in there and a filter,

Originally Posted by Takeovers

Babyfish can get trapped in filters. That is one reason why you keep them separate until they are big enough.

A clean filter is not a filter. Until the bacteria have grown in sufficient numbers it has no useful effect. Also fish die in the tank until the bacteria have grown from Nitrite poisoning. You can clean a pre-filter mat if it gets stuck. The filter material itself can be rinsed in water but not too much so enough of the bacteria remain. Best rinse it with the waste water when changing water in the tank to keep the bacteria healthy.

In my tank I believe I have not cleaned the filter for two years now but it is a special design.

prezactly.

if your filter is working correctly, it should almost never need cleaning.
the gauze or foam on top can be rinsed regularly, but leave the bioballs alone.

same goes for fishponds:
they should not be cleaned out regularly, and preferably never.

Originally Posted by tsicar

Originally Posted by Takeovers

Babyfish can get trapped in filters. That is one reason why you keep them separate until they are big enough.

A clean filter is not a filter. Until the bacteria have grown in sufficient numbers it has no useful effect. Also fish die in the tank until the bacteria have grown from Nitrite poisoning. You can clean a pre-filter mat if it gets stuck. The filter material itself can be rinsed in water but not too much so enough of the bacteria remain. Best rinse it with the waste water when changing water in the tank to keep the bacteria healthy.

In my tank I believe I have not cleaned the filter for two years now but it is a special design.

prezactly.

if your filter is working correctly, it should almost never need cleaning.
the gauze or foam on top can be rinsed regularly, but leave the bioballs alone.

same goes for fishponds:
they should not be cleaned out regularly, and preferably never.

I change that gauze every few weeks and like you say don't touch the bio balls but at the bottom there is a layer of carbon best to leave that alone? only the fish guy said change every 6 months and that would mean disturbing everything.

I do vacuum it out every few weeks as it does get dirty I have a special pond vac I did it sunday and the water looks top

Cheers, it has been almost 1 year since I buy the Bio filter and the water looks good so why change it

Originally Posted by FarangRed

Cheers, it has been almost 1 year since I buy the Bio filter and the water looks good so why change it

Agree. Fresh Charcoal is good to remove any chemicals from the water, e.g. if you had to treat sick fish in the tank. And that should be avoided if at all possible.

Otherwise regular water changes are better than Charcoal to remove unwanted substances fom the tank.

One thing I learn purely by accident about my pond it's quite big bye the way I used to get over run with frogs and the noise at night and loads of tadpoles, I bought all kinds of fish but no Koi I get no frogs now was amazing how it happened.
Dont have any small fish also the others have eaten them all.
Must be them Sharks that I buy I like them Dragon fish got 3 of them they are growing really well.

Maybe I take some Photo's and post them on here