Water Bypassing Mechanical Filter

Hello Everyone-

I’ve been having issues with ammonia levels from the beginning (7 weeks now). It waivers between 2.0-4.0. My ph is about 7.6. 0 nitrates, 0 nitrates. I tested my source water and ammonia is 0.

I recently added Biohome to my filter, and I noticed some of my water is bypassing the mechanical filter (the carbon cartridge) and going straight to the biohome.

I have a 13 gallon, Aqueon Quiet Flo filter. I changed the carbon about a week ago because I was having the same issue. I re-attached my sponge filter to the intake tube, but that hasn’t stopped the overflow.

I’m doing 50% water changes daily per advice I got on here, and only using Prime. I do have some plants and use Flourish Advance on them as well as have planted some Flourish tabs under the gravel.

I’m wondering which of these could be the culprit? I appreciate the help!

 

If you have zero nitrates, your tank is not cycled.

What kind of test kit are you using? If you're using the API Master Test Kit, are you shaking Bottle #2 of the nitrate solution according to the instructions?

What is your source of ammonia? Are there fish in the tank?

If your tank is not cycled in seven weeks, something's not right. It should take three to six weeks.

Your heading talks about water bypassing the filter. What's up with that?

 

Yeah I use the API and yeah I shake the #2 bottle for 30 seconds. I have 5 male guppies and 2 Cory cats. They seem fine, and show no signs that any of this bothers them. I did try 3 cherry shrimp and they died when they tried to molt (probably because of the ammonia, I read). I opened the filter and some of the water is bypassing the carbon filter and going to the biohome. I included a picture but it might not have been that great.

Some water goes straight over that side.


Nitrite test


Nitrates

 

After you add the drops from Bottle #2 do you shake the test tube for 60 seconds?

 

Get rid of the carbon filter. Not needed and overpriced. It might help with the water flow. And add some Seachem stability because your tank is not cycled.

 

If you're doing 50% water changes every day and you can't get your ammonia below 2 - 4 ppm, there's something generating ammonia big time. Try cutting back on feeding by half and see what happens to your test readings.

I'm still suspicious the nitrate test results might not be accurate. If you have ammonia for seven weeks and your cycle hasn't even started yet, it just doesn't make sense whether or not you add bottled bacteria.

 

After you add the drops from Bottle #2 do you shake the test tube for 60 seconds?

Yep, I’ve tested many a times, making sure to follow the instructions to a T

 

are you cycling your tank? I didn't get some important message from your post.
do you have any fish in the tank?
why do you need the carbon to cycle your tank?

 

Sorry maybe I’m using the wrong terminology by “carbon” I mean filter cartridge. It has carbon in it. I have 5 male guppies and 2 Cory catfish

The instructions say to replace the filter cartridge when water backs up but I thought that was a no-no since I’m still apparently not cycled yet. Ugh sorry for the all the questions, I just really wanna get this right! I love my fish and this is such a fun hobby.

 

Have you tested your tap water? Pour a glass and let it sit a few hours before testing. That may be the extra ammonia.

 

This is all guesswork, trying to unravel the clues. Something's causing a buildup of ammonia, and something's blocking the cycle from progressing. Here's my theory about what might be going on.

From my reading of your information, you removed the foam from your intake tube, changed the filter cartridge, and the filter doesn't take long to clog up. It sounds like you've removed and replaced a lot of your filter media, which is where most of the bacteria colony lives. Also, the process of growing the bacteria colony involves water movement over a surface area. If you're pulling out the filter media, but water flow is restricted, that could explain why the bacteria colony is not growing.

I mentioned cutting back on feeding before. Overfeeding could easily explain the source of high ammonia levels, and also why your filter media is getting clogged up so quickly. In fact overfeeding is the most likely cause. With 50% daily water changes, something fairly drastic is going on for ammonia levels to remain high while no cycling occurs. I'd recommend cutting feeding in half and see if that gets things moving in the right direction.

 

Have you tested your tap water? Pour a glass and let it sit a few hours before testing. That may be the extra ammonia.

I’ll try that, when I tested my tap before it tested 0, but I’ll leave it out a few hours and see

This is all guesswork, trying to unravel the clues. Something's causing a buildup of ammonia, and something's blocking the cycle from progressing. Here's my theory about what might be going on.

From my reading of your information, you removed the foam from your intake tube, changed the filter cartridge, and the filter doesn't take long to clog up. It sounds like you've removed and replaced a lot of your filter media, which is where most of the bacteria colony lives. Also, the process of growing the bacteria colony involves water movement over a surface area. If you're pulling out the filter media, but water flow is restricted, that could explain why the bacteria colony is not growing.

I mentioned cutting back on feeding before. Overfeeding could easily explain the source of high ammonia levels, and also why your filter media is getting clogged up so quickly. In fact overfeeding is the most likely cause. With 50% daily water changes, something fairly drastic is going on for ammonia levels to remain high while no cycling occurs. I'd recommend cutting feeding in half and see if that gets things moving in the right direction.

Yeah, I’ve tried a lot of things, so I’m probably restarting the cycle. I had a feeling not to replace the filter, but with it getting clogged maybe I’ll just try to rinse it in tank water? It seems an important part of the filtration process, and if water is just going around it, it’s not getting a chance to do its job. I’ll go to feeding every other day, and try to ignore their cute little begging eyes

 

That sounds exactly why you keep getting high Ammonia. Don't throw away your cartriges just swish them in a bucket of tank water till their totally mucked up then keep the frame and cut out the center of it and wrap the frame with polyfill. Also if your filter has some room for ceramic media or the like you should put it in a mesh bag and drop it in the bottom and forget about it for a while.

 

One of the big problems with using cartridges with built in carbon is before long the carbon will be useless and it will also end up clogging the cartridge to the point to where no matter how well you clean the outside fiber you can't clean the inside where the carbon is. Once that happens water can no longer flow through it.

If that keeps happening it is time to switch to a different filter media but in the meantime cut the fiber off the plastic frame. Toss the frame and the carbon. Put that piece of fiber along with a new cartridge or new type of media in your filter housing. Situate the piece of fiber where the water hits it before going through the new cartridge or media.

That piece of fiber is loaded with bacteria and will seed the new media. You can toss the piece of fiber after about a month. By then the new cartridge may need to be replaced if it is clogged so just repeat the steps above each time it happens.

If you have switched to a longer lasting media it will be time to toss that piece of fiber after about a month and just clean the media in some tank water each week.

 

The Guide to upgrade/customize your filter media:

Diy Media Guide For Top Fin Silenstream, Aquaclear And Other Hob Filters

 

One of the big problems with using cartridges with built in carbon is before long the carbon will be useless and it will also end up clogging the cartridge to the point to where no matter how well you clean the outside fiber you can't clean the inside where the carbon is. Once that happens water can no longer flow through it.

If that keeps happening it is time to switch to a different filter media but in the meantime cut the fiber off the plastic frame. Toss the frame and the carbon. Put that piece of fiber along with a new cartridge or new type of media in your filter housing. Situate the piece of fiber where the water hits it before going through the new cartridge or media.

That piece of fiber is loaded with bacteria and will seed the new media. You can toss the piece of fiber after about a month. By then the new cartridge may need to be replaced if it is clogged so just repeat the steps above each time it happens.

If you have switched to a longer lasting media it will be time to toss that piece of fiber after about a month and just clean the media in some tank water each week.

That makes so much sense! Thank you! Any specific suggestions as far as which filter media to use?

 

That makes so much sense! Thank you! Any specific suggestions as far as which filter media to use?

You are so very welcome. I use sponges, ceramic media, lava rocks, matrix and crushed coral in my filters. I then top it off with poly fill (that same stuff used to stuff pillows). I don't depend on the poly-fill for holding bacteria so replace it at least once a week. I run 2 HOB filters on my biggest tank and have a mixture of all those different medias in media bags.

The best thing about getting away from the cartridges is the savings in both money and bacteria. This kind of media almost never has to be replaced.