# Filter clogged every 2 days from brown slimy gunk



## Bunny

Hi everyone, my filter is getting clogged about every 2 days (sometimes sooner) from brown slimy stuff that grows in it. Its an Aqueon QuietFlow 30.

My theory is that its an algae of some sort or maybe diatoms. Anyone have any advice on what to do about it? It sucks having to clean my filter so frequently. As it is, I just let the water go over the overflow until my next water change when I can clean the filter in old tank water. I'd like to keep it flowing properly though...

I was thinking of soaking the filter cartridge in an excel solution to kill any algae on it (I've heard that excel is technically an algaecide?)

Does anyone have any ideas how to get rid of this problem?

It seems to get worse after I dose Flourish comprehensive - 2.5 ml/30 gal 1-2x per week. But if I stop with the flourish, my plants start melting 

Insides of filter:









Gunk accumulated on my sponge "pre-filter":









What it looks like in water when it is rinsed off:









Demonstrating the "slimy" aspect of it - a piece on my finger:


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## Dietmar

Nutrients too high? Something is feeding that brown stuff. Maybe try a water change?


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## 2wheelsx2

What is clogging exactly? The foam block? The Aquaclear series should come with a foam block, carbon and maybe ammo-rid or ammo lock or something like that. That foam block is pretty coarse and should not be clogging. Are you running filter floss on top and that's clogging?


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## Rockman

First things first I guess: Can you describe your setup for us? Tank size, size/number/species of fish, what filtration and media you have (aquaclears usually have the size printed on the lid). It might also help if we know more about your water chemistry, (hard/soft, pH, plus any other readings you might have) and whatever additives you dose the tank with besides the flourish.

I'm going to say that it's probably not algae (algae needs light; there's not a lot of that in the filter); but I'm not certain what else it would be. Maybe a photo might help with the ID.

It's a lot of information to ask for... but it's kind of an unusual problem. The more info we have the more likely it is we'll figure it out.


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## charles

I think it is time to change that foam block


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## Fish rookie

May be you need a bigger filter, is that possible?


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## Bunny

Bah... Well the first problem is that I mis-remembered my filter brand *d'oh* Its an aqueon HOB.

The blocked part is the filter pad - I've cut the bottom and removed all the carbon from it, so its just filter floss. I also have a sponge do-dad that I cut to size and shoved over the water intake inside the filter in the hopes that it would act as a pre-filter and prevent the clogging. Alas it does not help at all. The only other thing I have is a filter bag full of the porous ceramic ring thingys.

If I let it grow for a while (I've only seen this happen once when it first started) It will get quite long "bits"/strands.


I'll edit the first post and correct the filter type and add some pics.

its a 33gal tank, no additives other than flourish comp and API Tap Water Conditioner that I add to water before putting it into my tank.

5 white mountain cloud minnows, 1 dwarf rainbowfish, 6 corydora elegans, 1 sunset gourami, 1 powder blue gourami, 1 dwarf gourami, 1 2" calico bnp, and 1 5" common pleco (yes he is big and getting bigger -yes we are looking at upgrading the tank within a year). Also one mystery snail and a number of low grade cherry shrimp.

The only other things in the tank are some sad looking plants and some happy java fern.


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## 2wheelsx2

So they are green strands? If so you have a hair algae problem in the tank. Perhaps a pic would be most helpful.


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## Bunny

Pics are up in the first post


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## jbyoung00008

Your filter is an Aqueon. I can tell by the blue trays. The blue trays are where the good bacteria grows. If your filter is that bad that fast. Over feeding might be an issue plus all around tank maintenance????

A picture of the tank might help us all see what the overall tank looks like. How long are your lights on?


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## Bunny

Lights are on about...12-13 hours a day. They are not on a timer so it is manual.

Tank:


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## 2wheelsx2

That's just organics breaking down. Filter capacity is likely too low for the fishload/tank.


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## Bunny

Really???? That would suck. The filter is rated for 45 gallons and 200 gallons/hour. Thats 10-15 gallons more than my tank and it turns the water over 4+ times per hour... When we got it we got it with the intention of over-filtering...

The thing is, this is a new-ish problem and on a lower load than we used to have (I think). We used to have a 4" goldfish (I counted him as taking about 15-20 gallons of tank capacity) and 10 minnows with the plecos and cories... now its just the gouramies with the bottom feeders and fewer little fishies (dwarf rainbow and 5 minnows)....

I thought initially it was just gunk from the tank, and thats why I put the sponge in at the front, I was hoping it would catch the majority and I could just rinse it, but the filter pads themselves are getting completely clogged still.


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## 2wheelsx2

4x an hour, unfortunately is not really adequate with a HOB. Normally with a HOB we shoot for 10x an hour just because the filter is so small. If you had a canister 4x might have been enough. So your tank is a 30 gallon? I'd go out and get an AC70 if you can.

You don't have green algae or brown algae everywhere, so I would say that even though the light period is on the high side you seem to be doing ok. The other option you have is to add another HOB or even get a canister filter.

How old is the pad? Maybe you just need a replacement?


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## nao

i have the same problem, i just use filter sheets that i can cut to size, i figured it was bioload, maybe just find another HOB, i think that is what i will do, then i can swap their filters out at alteranative times, i also have a sponge filter to balance things. My impeller and intake can get slimed up, so i need to clean every 3 days. other wise its not cleaning tank well


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## Bunny

2wheelsx2 said:


> 4x an hour, unfortunately is not really adequate with a HOB. Normally with a HOB we shoot for 10x an hour just because the filter is so small. If you had a canister 4x might have been enough. So your tank is a 30 gallon? I'd go out and get an AC70 if you can.
> 
> You don't have green algae or brown algae everywhere, so I would say that even though the light period is on the high side you seem to be doing ok. The other option you have is to add another HOB or even get a canister filter.
> 
> How old is the pad? Maybe you just need a replacement?


Whaaaaaaaaaat!?!?!? No way  When we bought the filter we thought we were more than sufficiently over-filtering... ugh. Those things are expensive. I wish I could just add a secondary filter but with the hood/canopy/lid on the top there is not space for a second one...

The pad is new-ish, it flows fine after it is thoroughly rinsed.


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## 2wheelsx2

How often/how much water do you change per week. One cheap solution is do more/bigger wc's. Like 2x50% a week.


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## nao

bunny watch the fresh water equipment sales forum, excellent deals and get to meet interesting people also, i feel "almost" guilty for some of the buys i make


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## Fish rookie

It could be the design of the filter as well. If you have lots of mulm it may clog the aqueon easily.
Your tank looks lovely by the way.
You can try add an internal filter into the tank to add mechanical filtration may be?


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## NODES

nao said:


> bunny watch the fresh water equipment sales forum, excellent deals and get to meet interesting people also, i feel "almost" guilty for some of the buys i make


Good advice, you can score some great stuff. You can never have enough filtration.


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## NODES

I would go for a canister filter take up very little room on the tank itself.


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## Steve

You could try putting a coarse prefilter sponge on the actual intake tube of the filter (so its sitting in the tank) and then putting a finer sponge inside the filter where your sponge is now. I do this with all my filters and rinse them weekly and each sponge has the gunk and such you see on your filters but definitely not as much and my filters dont clog. I have 2 ac 70s on a 55 gal tank and an ac 70, sponge, and cannister filter on a 90 gal tank and all of my filters have prefilter sponges


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## jbyoung00008

Your tank looks clean. I agree with 2wheelsx lights are on a little long but it doesn't seem to be effecting the tank. Timers are cheap and well worth it 

Those aqueon filters are relatively new to the market. Ive never used 1 but I have seen them lots at work. IMO the aquaclear is a way better filter and that could be an issue. Ive never had or seen a tank build up slime that fast.


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## kim86

I find Aqueon filters are fine for very low bioload tanks (very little amount of small tropical fish, no live plants), but anything else they really can't keep up with unless you are running other filters to help with mechanical filtration. AquaClear filters are good because you can really customize what media you want to use, but like others have said the best way to go is with a canister filter.


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## Bunny

I just wanted to thank everyone for the help, I bit the bullet and got an aquaclear and the flow never even slightly drops. Of course now I have to fish out 30+ shrimplets when cleaning the filter out... but that's a topic for another thread. Thank you all for the advice  

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## randylahey

Foam prefilters are dirt cheap. Just rinse it out every couple of days

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