Beardedbillygoat1975 Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 (edited) I am treating hole-in-the-head in my 45 g Amazon tank with metronidazole in their food daily. I am seeing some changes in the lesions on the head of the GBRs that are affected. None of the other fish have been affected this far. I really want this treatment to succeed and so I’m looking at once we’ve completed a month of metro what’s next. One of the suggestions for preventing it is better biofiltration. I am using a mattenfilter and undergravel filtration with a powerhead and sponge in the opposite corner. My options: add a powerhead to the mattenfilter to increase turnover; add a UV sterilizer +- a canister filter; or both. It’s a typical situation for me in that this tank is over stocked and my exuberance for the hobby has led me to a really nice tank but it’s got some flaws. I could thin out the stocking a bit maybe move the cherry barbs out. Lots of options but thanks for looking and your support. Have fun everyone. Edited February 19, 2023 by Beardedbillygoat1975 2 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim513 Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 I wish I had something helpful to say for you, but I do like your setup. Hope you are able to get things under control for these guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 I would work with what you already have and add a power head to your matten filter you can get UV under water lights you could place behind your matten filter I don't no how effective they are versus a build in UV steriliser @Beardedbillygoat1975 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndEEss Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 So, it appears you have some kind of small-grained gravel or even an aquasoil. Both of those are going to limit the effectiveness of an under-gravel filter. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardedbillygoat1975 Posted February 20, 2023 Author Share Posted February 20, 2023 @AndEEssIt’s a mix! There’s a combo of aqua soil, black sand and gravel, there’s a layer of laterite as well all kept separate from the UGF with landscapers cloth. I think there’s some lava rock under the ugf plate to harbor our friendly bacterium as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gannon Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 On 2/19/2023 at 1:30 PM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said: I am treating hole-in-the-head in my 45 g Amazon tank with metronidazole in their food daily. I am seeing some changes in the lesions on the head of the GBRs that are affected. None of the other fish have been affected this far. I really want this treatment to succeed and so I’m looking at once we’ve completed a month of metro what’s next. One of the suggestions for preventing it is better biofiltration. I am using a mattenfilter and undergravel filtration with a powerhead and sponge in the opposite corner. My options: add a powerhead to the mattenfilter to increase turnover; add a UV sterilizer +- a canister filter; or both. It’s a typical situation for me in that this tank is over stocked and my exuberance for the hobby has led me to a really nice tank but it’s got some flaws. I could thin out the stocking a bit maybe move the cherry barbs out. Lots of options but thanks for looking and your support. Have fun everyone. So sorry to hear about this struggle. I don't have any additional advice for you but I wanted to say that your setup and silvertip tetras are amazing! Keep us updated and stick with it!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 If it were me because you are seeing issues and because I’m a chronic overstocker I would add a canister filter and be done. I love my canisters. I also run 2 green killing machine uv in my GBR tank because they are sensitive and the twinkling water clarity really shows them off. seeing issues just bumping up filtration a little May do the trick but if it does not then you are back to needing to upgrade. Just my opinion. Good luck and I hope your kids get better quickly. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 I would lean towards a sump/matten pump setup over a canister or HoB or anything. If all you can do is the pumphead, that's fine, just add a hole through the matten with the output pipe and then a spraybar out. I would lean towards aquarium salt, try to kill off some of the pathogens before going right into UV. If UV is a good option and easier, then it could be a stand in for the pump head in the matten filter to add that movement. I don't recall how output looks like on the green machine ones but that's a place to start. Look up the sicce syncra pumps. Either a shelf above the aquarium or something and you could use that to feed a small filter tub in the spirit of a sump. Depending which syncra fits it should be gentle enough, but also be small enough to get that movement. Give the foams a good clean, clean everything and just let the tank try to right itself with water changes, salt, botanicals, and clean water. You've got the pumps on the right, pushing around the CO2 it looks like. Maybe by modifying things a bit you can remove one of these to behind the matten filter and improve overall circulation in the tank. I see the airstone, which was my other idea to improve things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 Similar tank, similar issue (circulation) and eventually I ended up with this. With your corner filter, bar across the back, it might alleviate a lot of equipment and improve everything. Make it easier to maintain as well and remove all of the stuff on that right side. I used the x07 spraybar kit from fluval and some vinyl tubing and zip ties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 On 2/20/2023 at 1:54 PM, nabokovfan87 said: don't recall how output looks like on the green machine Soft and slow. Really does nothing useful as far as circulation 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardedbillygoat1975 Posted March 10, 2023 Author Share Posted March 10, 2023 I added a pump to the mattenfilter and kept up the metronidazole in the feed and the hole-in-the-head has gotten better. I’m still looking at a uv unit I can put in the corner mamattenfilter. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mmiller2001 Posted March 10, 2023 Share Posted March 10, 2023 Stay away from those green killing machines. I'm very happy with this one and could act as a power head. Really strong flow from it. COODIA Internal Green Water Killer Filter Aquarium Tank U-V Pump https://a.co/d/f0x6cLB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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