[Missing]

I can't seem to do much right with my aquarium.

Months ago I had a planaria issue. Extremely tiny white worms crawling all over my glass. Since that time I focus on a quick vacuum after feeding my frogs (twice a week), and I do big vacuums every 3 weeks. They seemed to go away very quickly and I haven't seen them since.

I've now switched to live plants, and just 4 days ago I started doing co2 injections with Nutrafin Natural Plant System.

Just yesterday I went in to trim a plant I'm trying to save, and picked up any dead leaves I could find. And last night I checked in and everything seemed great. Clear water, all fine.

Now this morning I turned the light on and went to check in with things. The water looked very blurry at first, but when I focused my eyes in the water, I saw billions... Seriously. Billions of tiny long worms floating in the water, just going with the flow. They aren't white like I'm used to seeing. They're more see-through. They aren't moving at all besides being carried by the water. (It's not worth trying to take a picture. They are smaller than 2mm and thinner than hair)

Why the sudden blow out, and why do they look different? Are they dead? I tried looking around online and I read very few posts mentioning co2 killing the planaria, but I can't find much on it so I'm not sure how true it is. Maybe it's the co2 making them thrive?

I have 4 African Dwarf Frogs and 2 otocinclus. Everyone seems fine. But since my frogs don't breathe through the water, I can't really base much on them.

Unfortunately I keep passing up buying testing for the aquarium. I did test the ph and the level was normal. I don't think that tells much though.

So yes. Dead? Alive? Co2? Why just overnight are they showing their ugly faces around here? How are they still around? I only feed my frogs twice a week, and I always pick up any leftovers, and I'm also doing big vacuums every three weeks. Do I need to do more than this? I have been battling dead leaves from my tall plants (which is why I'm trying the co2). I'm sure that's not helping?

It's only been a week and a half since my last vacuum, but I guess I should clear out as much water to get rid of the floating things.

 

[Sylverclaws]

It could be. Or your filter could have malfunctioned and spat out some nasties. Clean the tank and snag out as much as you can without stressing the system just in case.

If you haven't been over-feeding, they likely aren't getting much and may have died off. But that sounds pretty extreme. You sure they're dead? lol

 

[Missing]

It's almost useless. It looks like a bad quality picture, but it's actually just a massive amount of tiny hair like things. (With some algae in the bottom left) It looks like someone's storing their cut up eyelash collection in my aquarium or something.

I did a 50% water chance while vacuuming and this is the after picture. It's almost like I did nothing. Thinking about it though, I do need to buy new cartridges for my filter. Could that really be all? I've seen these things when I had the planaria issue, but not nearly in these numbers. Maybe my filter cartridge was full/dirty at that time too...

None of them are moving at all except with the water. I'm going to feel really stupid if it's just filter mess. x-x Well, then again I'd be glad. But I'm not sure I'm lucky enough for it to be that easy.

I guess my first step is figuring out WHAT it is, so I can actually act accordingly. I did see these with my planaria issue in the past though. But again, nowhere near these numbers and I've been cleaning/watching my tank like a hawk since taking care of the issue. Pet store's closed for the day, but tomorrow I had planned on getting new filters. If that's all, I'd be so happy.

 

[Cspencer83]

I have a question I know you said that you do vacs to your substrate but how often do you clean out your filter? I know that every time that i or every other time that i do a water change I use some of that water i take out to clean out my filter i first give my pad a little shake to get any thing that might clog it off then i take the filter its self and give it a nice rinse in the water making sure not to clean it too much but enough to get anything that might get back into the water. I am not a pro with the kinds of problems you are having but if they are dead what it sounds like is they were in your filter just growing and multiplying and since you started the CO2 treatment it killed off them OR maybe they were hiding somewhere in your substrate that you wern't cleaning well maybe a corner or under something that you don't pick up and the co2 killed them and they started moving out kinda frantically for there lives but died anyway.

 

[Missing]

I changed the cartridge to my Marina S20 last night, and this morning it's worse. :/

I don't normally clean the filter at all, besides changing the cartridges when they get too dirty, and the occasional wiping off the bottom tube part (I removed the sponge protector because it's harder to clean off) from dead leaves.

I did keep the water running while I changed the cartridge (in a hurry) but right after I changed I made sure to gauge the current amount so I could compare in the morning. Maybe the cartridges aren't so blocked/covered anymore, that they're passing by easier?

I'm still at a loss. The day before yesterday when I did a 50% water change, when I filled it all back up again it was almost like I did nothing. There was still a massive amount remaining. And now to see today it's worse.

I'm going to do another water change today, but with new cartridges I don't want to do too much and disrupt the water. (If that's possible)

I wish I could see them better to tell if they really are planaria. I know for fact none are moving though. I see none on the glass like I used to either, and I haven't seen them for quite some time now.

 

[Cspencer83]

did you happen to disassemble the filter its self and check around and make sure they were not clogged in a space i don't know how they breed so i dont know if you need to look for egg sacks or what ever also did you move things in your tank to check under them like I saw you have pots in the tank from your profile pic and i take it you have other tank ornaments I am guessing that somewhere in your substrate you are going to move something and find loads of them since there coming from somewhere just have to figure out where

 

[Missing]

My filter is pretty basic. It's just a container with a pole going into it with a pump on it. I did take out the pole and rinsed it down today but it looked really clean.

I do have a pot, a log and a little cinder block decoration but each vacuum I take them out to clean under them.

I did another vacuum today and 50% water change but it's starting to be almost crystal clear water when I vacuum the gravel. I hit every corner and I go all along the glass edges each time. If this is live planaria, I have no idea how they are so numerous with so little food. If they're dead planaria, I guess I can see why but doing water changes seems pointless because it barely does a dent in the amount I see. Before pouring the water in the aquarium, I checked it and there's nothing in it that I'm seeing. So I know it's not me putting more in there each clean.

Well, I'll keep trying. I'm still not sure if it's planaria (dead or alive) or what. :/

 

[Flint]

I just want to comment that you should not be changing your filter cartridge until it is LITERALLY falling apart. When you do your water changes, swish it around in old tank water and rub the foam side to get nasties off. It can severely damage your cycle and cause mini-cycles if you change it.
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[Missing]

I sometimes take longer than the box says in changing them. It suggests changing 2 every 3-4 weeks. I normally change out two (half) when they are nearly black. (Which is normally at least, if not more than 4 weeks) Then 3-4 weeks later I change the other two when they are nearly black as well. I've had no issues with it.

Still having the issue I made the topic about. It seemed at first it was clearing up the day after I made my last post, but now it looks as bad as it did at the start. I'm out of ideas at this point. I still don't even know what it is.

 

[Cspencer83]

The box wants to sell more filter pads. Everyone one have talked to or read on filters say that most of the filter pads last about a year before they start falling apart. Once they start falling apart then you can change them but till then just rinse them off in old tank water while you are doing the water change. I fill a bucket about half way with tank water as i am draining it and all that gunk and nastiness comes off actually decently easy once you practice a little.

 

[jimscott]

Anecdote about planaria: In 10th grade science class, we were all given a planarian to cut up into 3 pieces and observe how all 3 pieces would regenerate. So i cut mine up and all 3 died. Needless to say, but becoming a surgeon was not going to be one of my chosen endeavors.

Seriously, one thing that can be done in anticipation of replacing filter medium is setting up another filter with new medium, several weeks before replacing the old one. This gives the new one time to colonize the new one, so as to avoid another cycle.

 

[Missing]

Problem solved.

This morning when I turned the light on, there was still a bunch of them. But tonight when I went to feed the frogs, the water was crystal clear. Still no idea what caused it, but it's gone now. I wish I knew what it was to prevent it from happening again, but I'm happy it's gone.

 

[Cspencer83]

Just as a thought could it have been like a worm problem with the frogs like a parasite? I know that if dogs and cats have worms they come out in there poop, I wonder if that was what it was.