# fluval 204



## tom g (Jul 8, 2009)

i have a fluval 204 filter in my 35 gal tank , planted tank ,i have noticed that the last few days the filter input has been getting plugged with some floating plants that i put in it, i removed them but there is still some remnece of the small plants which keep pluging the input to the filter , now i have noticed the water is cloudy , i took apart the input to the filter and removed the ball valve that was inside the input , has anyone done this before , will it be a prob , any ideas am doing a water change tonite , also the last week or so have been feeding the plecos some zuchinni and sweet potatoe 
any ideas gang, i cleaned the filter last month inside , should i be taking it apart and doing it again 

thanks 
tom


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

I took that ball out myself a long time ago and everything has been running okay so far. 

Is it duckweed matter getting in there?


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## tom g (Jul 8, 2009)

*fluval*

yes i belive it was some ricia , not sure of the name , but the water has never been cloudy before , kinda puzzling me , gonna do a water tst right now 
thanks


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

You can try to place a bit of window screen plastic mesh around the intake if it really gets bad and if you don't have a sandy bottom you could try to lower the intake and the output.

The cloudness might have been stuck plant matter thats now loose in the aquarium after you cleaned it out. I tend to get a bit of junk come free from the tubes sometimes after I fix the flow of the canister filter.

A small water change wouldnt hurt I guess


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## tom g (Jul 8, 2009)

*fluval/cloudy water*

a/ o
no3/ 5.0
ph/ 7.5
no2/0 
these are my readings , i have never had a no3 of 5.0 , all my prev readings were a 0 . ph is usually a 7.0 - 7.2 
any ideas 
thanks 
tom


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

Is this after your partial water change?


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## tom g (Jul 8, 2009)

*cloudy water*

no i am doing the water change now .


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

Hopefully that will get it all fixed up for ya.


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## tom g (Jul 8, 2009)

*cloudy water*

me tooo , how often do u clean your fluval filter internally


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

You could add a piece of reticulated foam over the intake, which will trap the bits of plant matter without seriously impeding the filter flow the way screening will. An AC insert is an easy choice for the job. If you get one of the blue replacements from Big Al's it will be less obtrusive than the standard white one.


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

I didn't have much luck with the foam myself thats why I went with screen but I do have foam on my HOB that does well with keeping plant bits out and as a nice pre filter. 

Must be my filter set up I guess...

I usually maintenance the filter whenever the flow gets stopped up or at least by monthly. This is for a tank with only one large fish in it..So it usually doesn't need to be touched.

The one with the turtle needs to be cleaned every time I do a water change sometimes. D:


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