[supadave1981]

this is my cascade penn plax 1200 i got for my CA cichlid tank. as of now i am wondering if this filter was a good choice cause its putting me through the ringer lol. its filtering but the water isn't getting as clear as i want it too or should anyway. it could be just that its not cycled all the way through but i am not sure.
the filter media that came with with the filter is a pack of carbon, all 4 trays had some floss in it an one had a coarse sponoge that is in this pic i will post.
just wondering is there away that i am suppose to have this setup, could yo u guys give me some info on filtering or point in the direction to fix my filtrataion problem.

btw my nitrate, an amonia levels are pretty high so i am guess that its from the tank from not being cycled.
here is the filter.
https://flic.kr/p/9D4xwD

 

[noddy]

I don't know anything about the filter but, "nitrate AND amonia levels", are you sure about that?
You should have one or the other.

 

[rgr4475]

Need a little more info. Is this a new tank set up and you took the filter off another tank? Or are you starting a set up from scratch? Also you mentioned carbon and filter floss. Im not familiar with that filter but what bio media are you using?

 

[clgkag]

It is an alright filter for the price. It does a pretty good job of bio, but there is too much bypass for mechanical in my opinion. If you still have ammonia, I would say the tank isn't cycled yet. Try addind some ceramic rings or something for added bacteria for bio.

 

[supadave1981]

soory guys
its a a new tank i post a link for the pic at the bottom of the post
i just started the tank about 2 months ago an no its not cycled, i meant ammonia levels are high an i need to get them down. i will add the ceramic rings once i clean the filter out again next week.

 

[RRasco]

Hmmm....I don't think you should be cleaning the filter while the tank is cycling. I'm no expert, but me thinks you shouldn't disturb the bio until it's fully established.

 

[adam0444]

how have you been cycling it? fishless cycle with ammonia? i agree with RRasco not sure why you are cleaning anything as you are hurting the bacteria that s trying to grow in it.

also i would add biomax or whatever that company offers for bio filtration now and replace the carbon with it also.

 

[rgr4475]

Skip the carbon as it is pretty much useless unless you are removing meds from your tank that you dosed with. Just add more bio media in it's place. I have no carbon in my 4 canisters.

 

[Flippercon]

Yes agreed on the cycling, but you problem lies in mechanical filtration when it comes to not coming out clear. Do Not clean your filter. You can buy quilt batting from any fabric store and stuff it in the trays. You do need biomax or ceramic rings. The carbon can go in the trash if you have ran it. Cut the bag and dump contents. Rinse the bag and put it away for future use. Are you using the spray-bar on your setup? I have a Cascade 1000 and it runs crystal clear. I use biomax in all trays with quilt batting stuffed above all the media. This should solve your clearness problems. Search the library for cycling tips. Good luck and keep us updated. :thumb: