Water still not real clear, help!

[newfishguy]

I only have a qt. In the book I have it even says I can use a simple sponge filter with an air pump. However, I just bought a Whisper filter because I figured that it would do the same thing. Is a Canister Filter really going to do anything for me? I found a hang on the tank Magnum for $60. My Whisper filter was probably $15.

 

[wanabebell]

use charcole while setting up then when you start your reef dump it
h*

 

[the reef]

Originally Posted by newfishguy
Yes it is one of the hang on the tank kind. The filter is simply for bacteria colonization. Why should I get a Canister filter? My powerhead is a Maxi-Jet 600 which produces aroound 160 gph. That should be fine for a 15 gallon tank.
sory but the hang on filter in my experiance has been the lower quality and can fit more media in a canister

 

[newfishguy]

True it is lower quality. It was only around $15 or so. However, this is only a qt. My actualy display tank has a good skimmer with it. If it takes a couple of weeks for it to clear up then thats ok. I just want to make sure it is actually going to clear up.
Originally Posted by The reef
sory but the hang on filter in my experiance has been the lower quality and can fit more media in a canister

 

[newfishguy]

I have seen Aquaclear power filters inside of a saltwater tank kit. I believe that Whisper and Aquaclear filters are nearly the same thing.
Originally Posted by The reef
is the wisper a hang on the tank filter if so I sugest getting a canister filter in my opinon the wisper filter should only be used for freash watter sounds also like your gph is not up to the required amount get a small canister filter that will do 150-300 gph and you should see it clear up in a 24 hour period

 

[the reef]

Originally Posted by newfishguy
True it is lower quality. It was only around $15 or so. However, this is only a qt. My actualy display tank has a good skimmer with it. If it takes a couple of weeks for it to clear up then thats ok. I just want to make sure it is actually going to clear up.
yes given enough time I would say any filter will clear it up

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by The reef
sory but the hang on filter in my experiance has been the lower quality and can fit more media in a canister
Can you please share your experience with us?

 

[newfishguy]

My Whisper filter was cheap but I didn't know it would take a few weeks to clear up the water. That really doesn't make much sense. Maybe Ill just get a canister filter and see what happens. I can always return it if it doesn't clear the water up within a couple of days.
Originally Posted by Bang Guy
Can you please share your experience with us?

 

[the reef]

Originally Posted by Bang Guy
Can you please share your experience with us?
It can be dificult keeping phosphates at a very low level with only a small amount of media these little filters provide and has less of a volume for your bacteria colony and most small hang on filters have inserts that you replace by replacing all the media with these inserts can take out to much of the bilogical filter and with a canister filter it is easy to keep the bilogical filtration by only replacing one part of the media and keeping the bacteria colony. and is easer to rinse other media without washing out all the carbon

 

[newfishguy]

That makes sense. I was wondering how you would keep the bacteria colony in the tank when you are supposed to change the filter every month in the power filter. Isn't the bacteria basically gone after you replace the insert? It sounds like you are supposed to rebuild your qt everytime you get a new fish. Wouldn't you have to recycle the tank again with a shrimp to colonize the new filter with bacteria?
Originally Posted by The reef
It can be dificult keeping phosphates at a very low level with only a small amount of media these little filters provide and has less of a volume for your bacteria colony and most small hang on filters have inserts that you replace by replacing all the media with these inserts can take out to much of the bilogical filter and with a canister filter it is easy to keep the bilogical filtration by only replacing one part of the media and keeping the bacteria colony. and is easer to rinse other media without washing out all the carbon

 

[the reef]

Originally Posted by newfishguy
That makes sense. I was wondering how you would keep the bacteria colony in the tank when you are supposed to change the filter every month in the power filter. Isn't the bacteria basically gone after you replace the insert? It sounds like you are supposed to rebuild your qt everytime you get a new fish. Wouldn't you have to recycle the tank again with a shrimp to colonize the new filter with bacteria?
the bacteria isent gone but most of it is taken out creating a weeker bacteria strain
and could end up with it cycling again for say a week or more depending how weekend it is and needs to rebuild

 

[newfishguy]

Ok. Well tell me if this makes sense. I use the filter I have and wait for the tank to cycle and clear up. Ill put a fish or two in the qt for a few weeks and then move them to the new tank if they are ok.
Now after that just empty the water in the qt and change the filter. Put new water in the tank and start the cycle over with a shrimp which provides bacteria to colonize the filter again. After that I can add more fish again once I am ready.
Originally Posted by The reef
the bacteria isent gone but most of it is taken out creating a weeker bacteria strain
and could end up with it cycling again for say a week or more depending how weekend it is and needs to rebuild

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by The reef
the bacteria isent gone but most of it is taken out creating a weeker bacteria strain
Can you explain this a bit. No offense intended but it really sounds like you just made this up.

 

[the reef]

Originally Posted by Bang Guy
Can you explain this a bit. No offense intended but it really sounds like you just made this up.
no bang guy just as if you were to take out your live rock and wash it to much the same effect will happen will take away from the bilogical filtration. or another example would be cleaning over half of the media with fresh salt watter or tap watter will kill off the bacteria leving less in the colony if I throw away only half of my spong at a time the bacteria colony will still be on the other half but will need to grow more to cover the new spong that I put in.

can also be benifical to when taking out some of the media if seting up another tank can take the old media out and keep it in the new tanks media to help the cycle along

 

[the reef]

Originally Posted by newfishguy
Ok. Well tell me if this makes sense. I use the filter I have and wait for the tank to cycle and clear up. Ill put a fish or two in the qt for a few weeks and then move them to the new tank if they are ok.
Now after that just empty the water in the qt and change the filter. Put new water in the tank and start the cycle over with a shrimp which provides bacteria to colonize the filter again. After that I can add more fish again once I am ready.

well you dont need to empty the watter and start over just simply maintain the tank as if fish were in it all the time that way when you have a imergancy you can use it right away

 

[tither]

Patience My Friend, The Only Thing That Happens Fast With Saltwater Tanks Is Messed Up Water And Death.... Get Rid Of The Whisper, They Are For Fresh Water And At Least Go With A Bio Wheel Or A Good Canister Filter. Leave Your Rock In And Go With The Cycle. I Can Tell You If You Rush Things You Will Pay For It, I Know I Have About 16-17 Years Experence. Happy Reefing

 

[newfishguy]

Gotcha.

Originally Posted by TITHER
Patience My Friend, The Only Thing That Happens Fast With Saltwater Tanks Is Messed Up Water And Death.... Get Rid Of The Whisper, They Are For Fresh Water And At Least Go With A Bio Wheel Or A Good Canister Filter. Leave Your Rock In And Go With The Cycle. I Can Tell You If You Rush Things You Will Pay For It, I Know I Have About 16-17 Years Experence. Happy Reefing

 

[newfishguy]

The filter is only for my qt. What makes it a freshwater filter? It does not say to be used with freshwater tanks anywhere on it. :notsure:
Originally Posted by TITHER
Patience My Friend, The Only Thing That Happens Fast With Saltwater Tanks Is Messed Up Water And Death.... Get Rid Of The Whisper, They Are For Fresh Water And At Least Go With A Bio Wheel Or A Good Canister Filter. Leave Your Rock In And Go With The Cycle. I Can Tell You If You Rush Things You Will Pay For It, I Know I Have About 16-17 Years Experence. Happy Reefing

 

[newfishguy]

I read and found some other sites where people were discussing using Whisper Power filters in their qt. It provides biological filtration and does the same thing as a canister filter. Doesn't make any sense as to why this would be for only a freshwater tank.
Originally Posted by TITHER
Patience My Friend, The Only Thing That Happens Fast With Saltwater Tanks Is Messed Up Water And Death.... Get Rid Of The Whisper, They Are For Fresh Water And At Least Go With A Bio Wheel Or A Good Canister Filter. Leave Your Rock In And Go With The Cycle. I Can Tell You If You Rush Things You Will Pay For It, I Know I Have About 16-17 Years Experence. Happy Reefing

 

[tither]

ITS NOT THAT IT IS only FRESH... BUT THE STYLE OF FILTER IS NOT SET FOR SUPER WATER QUALITY, WHICH YOUR SALT WILL NEED. IT HAS A DISPOSABLE BAG FILTER IN IT, OR A THICKER BAG WHICH YOU FILL WITH CARBON OR SOME SUBSTANCE. THE PROBLEM LIES IN THAT WHEN YOU REPLACE YOUR FILTER AND PUT THE NEW ONE IN YOU BASICALLY WILL BE CYCLING YOUR TANK AGAIN. ALL OF YOUR GOOD BACTERIA THAT HAS GROWN IN YOUR BAG YOUR ARE NOW THROWING AWAY, OR IF YOU PULL THE THICKER BAG OUT (NOT SURE WHICH WHISPER YOU HAVE) YOU WILL BE DISTURBING YOUR BACTERIA BED WHEN YOU CLEAN OUT THE BAG ITSELF. THIS IS WHY I WOULD RECOMMEND THE BIOWHEEL FOR SMALLER TANKS WITHOUT A SUMP OR A HANG ON THE BACK FILTER SYSTEM. THE BIOWHEEL FILTER HAS THE BIOWHEEL ON THE FRONT THAT IS NEVER DISTURBED WHICH IS WHERE YOUR GOOD BACTERIA WILL GROW AND THEN YOU CAN CLEAN THE FILTERS ON THE BACK SIDE OF IT. THESE ARE THE SAME TYPE OF FILTERS THAT ARE IN YOUR WHISPER. SO BASICALLY WHAT YOU ARE LACKING IS A GOOD FIRM FILTER BED FOR YOUR BACTERIA THAT WILL KEEP YOUR WATER GOOD. THIS IS WHY I RECOMMEND WHISPER FOR FRESH WATER BECAUSE IT IS CONSTANTLY BEING CLEANED, MOVED, AND DISRUPTED. HOPE THIS HELPS....