jamesbarr Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 seems that its quick question week here at the barr house. heres round 2 I have particulate in my water, I run an XP2 on my 60 gallon tank. The filter is rated to 75 gal with a 300gph. I have 3 bags of bio media, a 20ppm and a 30 ppm sponge specific to the brand and model, then I have 4 layers of floss cut to size. Any recommendations? I look in there and I see tiny floaties in there and it drives me nuts. Ive been doing water changes regularly as well recently to 30% trying to get rid of it..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Znaika Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 Add some coagulant. It will make particles to stick together and help the filter to filter them out. Sold everywhere even in WalMarts. But the main question remains: where do these particles come from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesbarr Posted February 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 Do you mean products like 'clarity' or the like? Im not sure, Im wondering where they are coming from as well. Ive always used carbon in my filters before and have recently stopped. Im under the impression that carbon only really helps with yellowing in the water, am I wrong? Im also nearing the top end of the limit on the filter, perhaps its not big enough? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Znaika Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 Yes, "clarity"-like products. Some of them are simply tannin extracts and are not risky. Look at the content. Activated carbon is simply an adsorbent, which filters at a very fine, actually at a molecular level, not at the level of visible particles. So if you use tannin acid - based coagulant, using activated carbon would be counter-productive, as it would be filtering out the tannin acid itself. Carbon's life-time is indeed limited, but unless you actually need carbon for some other reason than providing manufacturers with a continuous stream of revenues, you do NOT need to change cartridges, just rinse them gently in the drained tank water. I cut my cartridges, threw out carbon, put in instead bio-media and did not change them ever since. Besides old carbon may crumble and itself become a source of dredge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekbottom Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 Open top tank? One of my tanks is sitting in just the right spot to get an abundance of 'stuff' falling into it. Or perhaps it is little bitty creepy crawlies in the water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesbarr Posted February 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 it looks to me like when dust floats in the air near a sunny window. just little...things I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayba Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 (edited) I use these. Pack them right full of filter floss. You have to clean them often because they clog fast, but because they are external I can pull it and squish it out rinse under the tap and back in place in minutes. http://www.ebay.com/itm/160639132364?redirect=mobile Or sit back farther and also stop cleaning the glass..... Edited February 2, 2013 by Jayba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesbarr Posted February 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 thats a neat gizmo jay. I do sit rather close to my tank....perhaps I should move away a bit lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayba Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 I have a 33 gallon beside my bed that my face is a foot away from and when I lay there relaxing I like it clean. I also use API sponges over the intake. So only about twice a year do I have to clean the filters. Just rinse the pre filter under the tap each water change. It's easy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kreature Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 Taking off you glasses works for me. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesbarr Posted February 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2013 I put a powerhead in there, just because I was in need of one. It kicked up some junk from the stagnant areas of the tank. Hopefully the extra movement gets more junk to the filter and clears things up some. we will see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayba Posted February 4, 2013 Report Share Posted February 4, 2013 A powerhead with a fine prefilter cleans well too. Just have to rinse it out a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crystal Posted February 4, 2013 Report Share Posted February 4, 2013 I tend to put a large sponge on my intakes just to keep the live daphnia I feed my fish with from being sucked up. I squeeze it in the 'waste' water when I am doing water changes. I have done canisters with just bio media, but I always end up putting some sort of floss or filter sheets in them, or on the intake, just to clear up the water that last little bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesbarr Posted February 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2013 im from a small town, what do you guys think of my wrapping the end with floss and putting an elastic around the it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted February 5, 2013 Report Share Posted February 5, 2013 floatys use to drive me crazy too,I was using the polishing floss pads in my fluvals(other makers have similar) but found they clogged up very quickly in a planted tank and opening up the canister a couple times a week defeated the purpose of have a canister filter so I just stick with DIY sponge prefilters over the intakes and rinse out in warm tap water once a week during WC and learned to live with or ignore the floatys .They do seem worse in the winter months for my tanks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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