# Not happy with my Fluval 306--help!



## jczinn

I'm new to this forum but not to cichlids or fish. I had a wonderfully established 29 gallon tank for many years with a HOB Emperor and it was always crystal clear. A few months ago, I moved up to a 58 gallon and after much research on canister filters, got a Fluval 306. But no matter what I do, or what media I place in it, I can't get clear water. I'm not talking about bacteria bloom or algae, but lots of particulate matter. I've tried everything from Fluval's polishing pads to 50 micron felt to all sorts of combinations, but can't get rid of the particles. I'm thinking this filter has a lot of bypass? When I go to clean it after two or even three weeks, it hardly seems dirty, nothing like what my Emperor was!

Here's part of my problem...I stupidly bought a proprietary tank which won't take a HOB filter. It has to be canister, because of the way the hood and lighting is there's no room for the outflow of an HOB. Also, with that in mind, I set up the tank fairly close to the wall, so adding a HOB isn't an option anyway. I'm willing to buy a new canister if that's what's necessary--although in many ways I love the Fluval! Its easy to maintain and I love the airlock feature so it doesn't drip when disconnected, the primer works great, etc. But if its not filtering...

Ammonia and Nitrate are 0, the tank is cycled, that's not the problem. The media I've got in now is:

bottom: the bio foam it came with
middle: Bio-max mixed with Eheim substrate
top: layer of polishing pad, then in one side purigen, the other side Nitrazorb (at one point I had carbon in there too.) Then on top of all this, 50 micron felt pads.

I know a lot of folks here talk about flow but I'm not sure how to measure that, the Fluval 306 is rated for up to 70 gallons.

The fish don't seem to care about the detrius, but I certainly do. I've actually only added a couple of new fish since the new tank--its not overcrowded, although some fish are quite big and there's a big pleco which may be kicking up a lot.

I am just so unhappy with how much stuff is floating around  Suggestions needed! Thanks.

Jan


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## hawkkerw

Sorry to hear about your problem. Do you own a bottom vacuum and use it when you do water changes? I find allot of the extra mess likes to settle down under rocks and decorations. So it's necessary to move the rocks etc when you vacuum. Also I have put out on a post awhile back Fluval and I'm sure Eheim make what they call I pre media which kind of looks like the Biomax to me. I have never used it but have been thinking of doing so it's stated purpose is suppose to be catching the large waste before it gets to the sponges. The only other thing may be the flow in your tank? Also Pleco's of which I have two are poop machines. :fish:


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## countryboy814

The mistake some people make with filters is tank ratings. I would go by the gph. It should be on the box or in the directions. I like to have at least an 8X turnover. That is to say with a 50 gal. tank I want at least 400 gph. Poop is heavy and it needs to be suspended in order for it to be gathered by the filter intake. Maybe a couple of circulation pumps to have a good current.
Another thought.....filter companys mainly canisters give you a gph that is measured without filter media.


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## jczinn

Thanks for your replies. The Fluval 306 is rated at 303 gph. I guess I should have gone with the 406, which is rated at 383 gph, but I also needed to get something I can lift by myself--I feared the 406 when full would be too heavy. I'd be willing to switch but I'm not sure I should buy the same series filter again...I just don't know if its something in this design that's not catching all the particles.

I have noticed, however, that sometimes particles flow really close to the intake and aren't sucked in. Which would make me think the flow just isn't enough.

Also maybe I have TOO much stuff packed into the filter which may be decreasing flow?


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## countryboy814

Too much "stuff" will lessen flow. Good luck.


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## BrendanMc

Where do you have the intake and output? Maybe try setting them up on opposite sides of the tank (if you don't already have them away) so it will push the particles towards the intake. If that's not an option maybe put in a powerhead to increase circulation of the tank. When looking at the GPH rating of the filter you have to consider that when all the media is in there, the actual GPH will be about half of what it says. That being said, you probably are only running between 150-170 GPH which isn't quite enough in a 58 gallon tank. You may either want to switch to a more powerful filter or add an additional canister.

I have the 306 running on my 60 gallon and haven't had any problems with cloudy or dirty water, but I also have an HOB on the other side of the tank which helps with circulation.


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## jczinn

Thanks Brendan. I have the intake and output on opposite sites, but I have the output pointed away from the intake. I can rotate it and see if that makes a difference...although I'm doubtful. I'm starting to think there is too much stuff in the filter. I just cleaned it yesterday but at next cleaning I am going to take out the Nitrazorb and maybe the felt pads too, as I think they could be slowing stuff down. (But, I had the problem before I got that felt--I got it to try and alleviate the problem, but maybe its making it worse.)

Ug, I really don't want to add a 2nd filter as I've not really space to put it underneath, I think I'd rather just buy a whole new, more powerful one if necessary (but that's last resort, really--this one is only three months old!)

I'm not familiar with powerheads so I'll have to look into that. I wish I could just add an HOB...that was my original intention, to have one along with this filter, until I got the tank and realized it wouldn't fit!


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## Mike_G

If your filter is sitting really low, like down in the very bottom of the stand, you can try raising it to lessen the pressure head. Also, you can shorten the tubing so that it isn't any longer than necessary- doing both *should* maximize your flow rate.


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## jczinn

Thanks Mike, that's a good idea. It is sitting at the base of the stand. I'll see if I can find something to raise it up. Hopefully a combination of these simple things might help.


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## djm761

The way I under stand it you can remove the check valve in the intake, this will greatly increase the flow rate, and shouldn't affect the priming of the pump unless the water line goes below the intake.


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## jczinn

djm761 said:


> The way I under stand it you can remove the check valve in the intake, this will greatly increase the flow rate, and shouldn't affect the priming of the pump unless the water line goes below the intake.


Actually I have been trying to do that. I am sure that is slowing things down, and in fact, I've seen larger particles get stuck in it, but I have not been able to get it apart to remove the check ball. I can open it to two parts to clean it but the part with the ball itself seems to be sealed. I am trying to find a replacement intake strainer that would fit.


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## 13razorbackfan

countryboy814 said:


> The mistake some people make with filters is tank ratings. I would go by the gph. It should be on the box or in the directions. I like to have at least an 8X turnover. That is to say with a 50 gal. tank I want at least 400 gph. Poop is heavy and it needs to be suspended in order for it to be gathered by the filter intake. Maybe a couple of circulation pumps to have a good current.
> Another thought.....filter companys mainly canisters give you a gph that is measured without filter media.


Yep...that is what I strive for as well...strong enough circulation to clear my tank fast and to keep the waste floating long enough the chances of my intakes picking it up are greater.


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## newforestrob

when I ran a 305,I replaced the ribbed hoses,and made sure there wasn't any slack,the can was pushed all the way back in the stand so that the hoses were almost completely vertical,I also ran it with just the fluval sponges in all the baskets,just curious how much pressure on the return to the tank?


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## cichlid-gal

We have a Fluval 306 and Emperor 400 on our 75G tank.

For the first few months our water was always what I would call "cloudy" and when we vacuumed it would look pretty brown when emptying out. The tank has been up and running for almost 4 months now and our water is crystal clear most of the time. I think a lot of the dirty water in the beginning was "new" tank stuff...diatoms and silicates.

We have switched up our filtration in the canister and HOB...adding filter floss to the HOB (as its easier to change out there than in the canister) and using the blue/white filter media in place of carbon in the canister...so we now have from bottom to top...sponge, blue/white filter pads, biomedia. I buy the blue/white filter pad in a roll and cut to fit. Seems to be working great!!!


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## jczinn

Thanks Cichlid gal. I have some of that blue-white filter pad stuff and will try it. Interesting that you have the biomedia at the top. Fluval says the order should be sponge, biomedia in the middle basket, and then polishing pad and chemical media last. But I've seen folks mix it up. Does it really make a difference?

I think Monday I will open it up and see what I can do, take some stuff out and maybe swap out the 50 micron felt for the blue/white media. Changed water today so don't want to disturb anything more for a couple of days. Meantime I've changed the flow direction of the output and I've ordered a new intake strainer with out a checkball--made for a Marineland but I think it will fit.

Thanks everyone, this is a great, friendly forum!


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## cichlid-gal

Good catch jczinn...you are right the bio is in the middle in the 306.. I also have a 206 and for some reason the order in that canister is different as recommended by the manufacturer...I simply got confused which I was speaking of...


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## S2K_Alex

when i first got my 406 and this was not to long ago, maybe about 2 weeks ago. i realized that the carbon and beads had a heavily amount of powder meaning is you did not rinse them until the water got clear from running water though them, they will make your water quality, cloudy or just not as clear as before. im glad i rinsed them especially the carbon, i literally had to rinse it for more than 3 minutes because the black dust just kept comming.


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## jczinn

Thanks Alex, I don't think that's it as its been months now. However, I have seen some improvement in the last week or so and I think in large part it is due to replacing the intake strainer. I replaced the one with the checkball with this one: http://www.marineland.com/MLSTORE/Intak ... -P152.aspx It fit perfectly and I can actually see more particles being sucked up. I also raised the filter by about six inches and re-directed the output nozzle to point towards the intake. And removed the Nitrazorb pouch. But I really think switching out the intake strainer made the most difference. It's still not perfect, but better


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