Dirt problem

Hey guys wanted some help on this . My planted tank has a major dirt problem . I know i can jus sift the gravel but the problem i am concerned about it the dirt gettin stuck in the plants . Its makin the plants look ugly . I tried dustin the dirt of but it jus settles back on the plant . An this is also causin them to get up rooted . I also can increase my flow rate as the fish will not b able to handle this . Pls let me know wat i can do to sort this out . An my tank aint big an siftin the gravel is kinda hard with all the plants an drift wood in it , so is there a fish that could do the job for me . Thanks sherwin .

 

Hey Sherwin,what kind of filter are you using,because it sounds like it is either to small to do the job or it's dirty and clogged up.

Rudi

 

Using an ordinary canister filter, 500 l .It can't be clogged, because I clean it one a week. I doubt that's to small for a 2 foot. When on full blast, the fish can't swim properly.

 

How do you limit your canister filter?

 

It has a adjustable inlet

 

Are you using a spray bar?

You can usually run a much bigger filter with a spray bar in a smaller tank.

 

Pics are always welcome.when u say dirt i assume you mean digestive waste(cr@p) and leftover food?what fish do you have in there?

 

It always amazes me how often aquarists look for a fish or a snail or some other invertebrate to do their work for them.Tank maintenance is your job and yours alone,no animal can do it for you.
Sherwin,if you agitate the waste,or as you put it,'dust',and it just settles down again,then your filter is obviously not sucking it up or even moving it about.
Next time you do a water change,agitate the waste while holding the siphon hose close to the particles.This way you will suck up most of it,without disturbing the substrate and plants to much.

Rudi

 

At oscar its jus barbs an some other small fish . An at rudi its not that i want a fish to do my job its that i like my tank to b as natural as possible . With it all bein mother nature . I have a marine tank an the only time hands go in there is to pick up fallin corals or a filter clean . So i wanted to know if it was possible to get my fresh water set up the same have my hand only go in for uprooted plants an filter cleans . An at catfish .i had one but it broke durin a water change . But i have been told that the material in my filter is not dense enough an thats causin some dirt to pass right through it an back in the tank . So i am plannin on upgradin my filters canister together with the inside material .

 

Why do you clean your filter once a week , thats hectic . Your filter will not have time to mature at all . I only clean my filter every few months .

 

Wen i say clean i dont mean a complete wash that happens 1 in two weeks . Wen i say clean i mean take out leaves that are jammin the intake

 

It depends on your bioload, if it gets clogged then u have to wash it, which is done in tankwater,

 

try addin a powerhead filter or another pump to add to the water flow.. "dirt" ususally settles on leaves instead of landing up in the filter when theres not enough water flow to push the "dirt" to the intake of the filters..