After recently setting up the Nu-Clear system to replace the canister filter, which was a massive improvement. I decided to seed the new bio unit with old bio from the canister. The canister sat for no more than a day. I noticed when I put in the media it was a little dirty and should have been rinsed, or not used at all for that matter.
After a few weeks of great pearling, growth, etc. I started to notice a slight decline in pearling. This followed by a very slight but noticable yellow tint to the water. I started scratching my head wondering if I messed up my dosing, checked CO2, etc. Then woke up one morning and noticed some BBA. Which made me question CO2 again. Everything on that end seemed normal and fine. So after a pruning and a water change, things went more south. BBA increased, infesting my moss. Followed by some brown sludge coating a few plants older leaves. So I decided to replace the filter cartridge early, and then noticed the bio chamber, thank goodness its clear, all the bio looked absolutely filthy and coated with the same brown sludge on the plants. So I yanked all the bio, which reaked btw, and replaced with zeolite packages. Did a massive water change, and pruning of anything infected, doubled the initial EI dosage to make up for the massive wc. Very next day. Pearling went back to normal, water color/clarity back to normal.
Lesson learned. Don't ignore the bio chamber as part of your filter maintenance.
After a few weeks of great pearling, growth, etc. I started to notice a slight decline in pearling. This followed by a very slight but noticable yellow tint to the water. I started scratching my head wondering if I messed up my dosing, checked CO2, etc. Then woke up one morning and noticed some BBA. Which made me question CO2 again. Everything on that end seemed normal and fine. So after a pruning and a water change, things went more south. BBA increased, infesting my moss. Followed by some brown sludge coating a few plants older leaves. So I decided to replace the filter cartridge early, and then noticed the bio chamber, thank goodness its clear, all the bio looked absolutely filthy and coated with the same brown sludge on the plants. So I yanked all the bio, which reaked btw, and replaced with zeolite packages. Did a massive water change, and pruning of anything infected, doubled the initial EI dosage to make up for the massive wc. Very next day. Pearling went back to normal, water color/clarity back to normal.
Lesson learned. Don't ignore the bio chamber as part of your filter maintenance.
