Inky

I haven't replaced the bioballs but I did add carbon bag, med/large, size of activated carbon as well as replaced the stock filter with filter pad.

My issue is that its still getting dirty really fast. ( no I do not over feed my fish. )

What should I replace the bioballs with if they are causing it to be dirty so easy?
Should I add some filter floss along with the filter pad or just double up the filter pad instead of just 1 slice of it?

In the tank I have a medium size mopani wood which leeches little to no tannis into the water as I soaked it really well before I put it in the tank and I only have 4 Glofish in the tank.

I have had tanks before and never had this issue with them, but also this is my first biocube tank. Needless to say I did have 1 gimpy glofish from the store that has disappeared and may have been sucked into the filtration but I cannot find him anywhere in the filtration or the tank.

suemvb

Welcome to FishLore Inky!

Bio balls don't ever need to be replaced. They should not get dirty because the filter pad should mechanically filter the water before it hits the bio balls. The bio balls are just for biological filtration. You can rinse them in a bucket of tank water if they need it but don't use tap water or you will kill the beneficial bacteria.

When your filter pad gets dirty you should avoid rinsing it with tap water for the same reason. If you really need to replace it then see if you can add the new pad with the old pad still in the filter so the bacteria can populate the new filter pad before you throw the old one out.

I don't know exactly how your filter is set up but if you can add an extra layer of filter pad then the water should have a more clear look to it. I don't think the bio balls are causing your tank to get dirty.

It's possible that you are having a mini cycle if you replaced all the media at once. If you didn't rinse your bio balls in tap water or let them dry out then hopefully they still have beneficial bacteria on them.

Inky

Yea I haven't touched the bioballs, Just trying to figure out why the tank is so dirty!

No over feeding, I dont leave the lights on in the tank for extended time periods, its not infront of direct light or sunlight.

I did do a small water change to try and clean it but it hasn't changed the dirtyness of the tank... it just seems like its perpetual brown dirt that appears out of nowhere.

the biocube has 3 compartments the first one i left as is, the second has the bioballs in it and i havent changed that one. The third one I took out the stock filter and cut off the padding on it and tossed it, I bought a large bag of cut to fit padding which is blue and white and put that in the plastic casing of the stock filter and put that in there when I first started the tank. The charcole bag is behind that.

Note: I did have a heater in the first compartment but the water line is just to low to have it in there now so I moved it into the main tank area which kind of sucks. Would rather have it hidden in the back.

Mini cycle would usually be cloudy white? this is browny yellowish. I thought maybe its some form of algae bloom but Its not in a place that would start algae really, and I have done tank water changes since I have had it up.

Biocube seems to be more of a challenge than a regular glass tank! Tho I did want a challenge.

Shawnie

welcome to fishlore!!!!
sounds like the "brown dirt" is diatoms...that is a type of algae that happens in tanks under a year old...sometimes can happen over but mainly, a new tank algae.....it will go away in time on its own and doesnt hurt anything...

Inky

Well if thats what it is its ugly!! but im glad it doesn't hurt anything.

Thanks for all the welcomes!

Going to research diatoms now to learn some more on that.

If anyone has any advice for the filter fix please do share tho.

Also I am thinking of getting another biocube tank now ( i like how they look ) but this time the 29gallon one and do a brackish set up with it.

Shawnie

sue gave you great advice on your filter...

suemvb

I didn't know what you meant by "dirty". I guess I was picturing cloudy water or particles in the water column. Cloudy water could be a mini cycle and you're right to think doubling up on the filter pad would help to remove small particles in the water.

If it's on the sides of the tank maybe you can just wipe it off till it goes away on its own. If it's on the gravel, stirring it up a bit should help it look a little better just because it won't be an obvious layer across the top of the gravel.

It it's the water that's yellowish then that may be from the driftwood which is not necessarily a bad then for the fish. If yellow/brown water is the problem then the carbon should help with the discoloration pretty quickly. If you use carbon (I don't) then you do have to change it out for it to continue to be effective. I think every three weeks is what most people recommend.

callichma

I also have a 14 g biocube that I use for fresh water. I had noticed that my water seemed to have a lot of particles in it. Changed the filter, but still dirty water. Then I checked in the compartment where the wet/dry pump is. There is a sponge in there which had come out of place. When I rinsed it in treated water and replaced it, problem solved. I use the biocube 3 stage filters. Why did you take yours out? I find I have to rinse it in treated water occasionally to clean off the accumulated gunk.

aquarist48

Hello Inky and Welcome to Fish Lore. Glad to have you on board. True, diatoms are not to pretty, but as mentioned it will go away on it's own in time and with gravel vacuums.

I don't have the type of filter that you speak of, however, I do add additional filter floss (batting material from the craft section of Wal Mart) to all of my filters that I do not depend on for biological filtration. I change it every 5 days for new. It helps to keep my biological media cleaner. I have blue bio balls in my wet/dry filter that have not been cleaned or rinsed in 10 years.

I hope you enjoy the site!
Ken