Filtration

[james]

Hi
I was wondering if anyone out there is interested in discussing about different types of filtration in our hobby. I use to use power filters in all my tanks. My favorite one were the whisper brand. They really do a good job in filtering debri and were easy to use. All you do is change the felt inserts and you can do it with it running

But, with the cost of hydro going up and up. I began began changing over to sponge filters. I am running 4 tanks on one air pump. They are great biological filters . The only draw back is they are messy to clean.

I did think of underground filters and have never use them. Any comments on them at all. I would appreciate some feedback on them and any other types of filters

James

[Eirikre]

I'm using a Fluval 304 canister filter in my 55g mbuna.  I have air raimed through the filter to create maximum airation of the filter bacteria and maximum oxigen levels in the water.  I have a buble wall running the length of the tank which adds a lot of water movement.  The end result is sediment free tank.  I like it a lot.

In my planted 35g I'm using an old fluval 2 inside filter.  I don't like it though, to much current.  I'm also not sure how much surface turbulence is apropriate to minimize CO2 loss and still provide sufficient oxygen.  Any suggestions for filtration in a small planted tank?

In my 10g tank I am using a sponge filter.  It's a cold water tank containing a crawfish and whatever his food happens to be.  Filter works fine with regular water changes and weekly filter cleanings.

[aidensmomma2000]

All I've ever used is are Aquaclears =) But I'm also married tomy Python, so the gravel gets a good cleaning when I do my water changes.

[james]

Hi
I use to use Aquaclears, but I would use the floss than you use  normally in corner filters.
The problem I find with Ac is that they sometimes do not stay primed and running. If the water level goes down or if your power trips of you have to reprime it. I don't have that problem when I use the Whispers.

James

[Evan]

I use aquaclears on my 20 and 10 Gallon tanks.  I also Have one as a backup for my Discus tank.  THe only problem as mentioned before that if you water is too low it will not restart.  
Other than that I find them very reliable.

I also had a blue line filter?? I did not like it.

On my 75 I have Ehein prof II.  It's great.  This tank however is still lightly stocked.


I have a hagen foam filter in my discus tank.  It is good if you do not mind vaccuming the bottom daily.

James:  What pump are you using to run 4 tanks?

[saltydog]

Eirikre mentions "air raimed through the filter to create maximum airation of the filter bacteria and maximum oxygen levels in the water." Obviously there is a typo here. Do you mean air aimed through the filter or air rammed? I guess I am interested to know more specifically what you mean by this & how you accomplish it.

[ambushman2j]

I used a magnum 350 pro system on my 77, but found it to be too much maintenance required and too costly so I turfed it..then I switched to a emperor 400 and aquaclear 200 and now I am noticing too often then not, not enough power...on my 50 gallon I have a fluval 304 and an aquaclear 200, this system works great, very little maintenance, when I gravel clean I rarely even see much coming up, water is crystal clear and I have maintenanced my fluval twice in 1 1/2 years..my fry tanks I use bio foams, and my smaller tanks all adequite sized aquaclears..and yes, anytime there is a power outage, the impeller won't start up again, I just tweek the impeller with a pen and it will start right back up

[Evan]

On occasion my aqua clears would not start after being shut off.  Now I just take the impeller out every two weeks or so and clean out the inside.    Has not happened since.

[james]

Hi
I find that the Aquaclears need to be primed when the water level is too low and that water come out from the side not going through the filtered material. I would rate the last on my list.

Any feedback from someone using undergravel good or bad!
James

[328iGuy]

I am currently using an Eheim Pro II 2026 Canninster and an AquaClear Powerhead 402 on my 55 gal.

Keeps a nice oxygenated and clean tank, especially seeing as how mine is currently slightly over stocked.

[saltydog]

Air-driven undergravel filters 'work`okay but cleaning them entails breaking down the entire tank. A screen should be placed about 1/2 way into the substrate if you have fish that move gravel around a lot. If you never clean them they will eventually clog up & long before this the level of "dissolved organics" in the water will likely be elevated. Anyone have experience running them 'in reverse' by means of powerheads?

[Evan]

A couple people have said they stopped using different filters due to the cost.

Has anyone figured out what it costs to run their filter?  If so which one.

[aidensmomma2000]

Aquaclears dont cost much, every few years I replace the foam, but thats it. It terms of electricity, I have no idea!

[Eirikre]

Eirikre mentions "air raimed through the filter to create maximum airation of the filter bacteria and maximum oxygen levels in the water." Obviously there is a typo here. Do you mean air aimed through the filter or air rammed? I guess I am interested to know more specifically what you mean by this & how you accomplish it.

 I just have one of 3 split lines from my air pump fed into the intake of my canister filter.  (the other two are attached to bubble walls.  tacky I know but it creates a lot of current and directs the bottom water directly into my filter intake)  

 The air is 'rammed' through the filter by the filter pump.  Inside the filter the air is smashed into tiny particles.  Thes tiny air bubbles are difficult to see but they permeate my tank.  this gives me a 'surface area' of nearly incalcuable size.

 It works well for me.

 Even when I had a dead clam in my tank for over a week the only alarming measurements were Nitrate.  I never had the amonia or nitrite levels above 1ppm even though I discovered my Nitrate levels at over 80ppm just 2 days after a 50% water change before which Nitrate levels were below 10ppm!  I had to do 50% water changes twice a day just to keep the Nitrate levels bellow 40 ppm!

Those Bacteria never let me down though.

[james]

HI
Cost comes down to the number of tanks you run. Like I posted before I was running 30 plus tanks with a power filter & , heater  on each tank. The hydro bills in this case added up. So, to lower my hydro bill, I started to convert over to sponge filtres(HYDRO Sponges).

By doing this I can run 4 to 5 tanks on one air pump. This move reduced my electricity bill by more than 40 %. I had only to power 4 pumps and 2 or three power heads instead of over 30 power filters.
I use power heads to run my sponge filters on my bigger tanks.

Now if you have 4 or 5 tanks only the power draw on these power filters will not be too much. But it will still be cheaper if you can filter them with just one large air pump.

James

[saltydog]

Eirikre, how did you 'attach' the air hose to the filter intake of the canister? Did you drill a small hole at the top of the hard plastic part of the intake & then silicone or epoxy a hard plastic air-tube connector to it? Can one 'ram' too much air into the canister such that it develops an air pocket at the top & stops running? Does this practice increase the noise-level of the canister? Thanks.

[artw]

I am impartial to air driven sponge filters in fry tanks,  Aquaclear minis in juvenile tanks, and anything big in large tanks (ac 300-500, emperor 400, canisters)

[Eirikre]

Eirikre, how did you 'attach' the air hose to the filter intake of the canister? Did you drill a small hole at the top of the hard plastic part of the intake & then silicone or epoxy a hard plastic air-tube connector to it? Can one 'ram' too much air into the canister such that it develops an air pocket at the top & stops running? Does this practice increase the noise-level of the canister? Thanks.

 I just run the airhose into the tank and feed it up through the water intake on my filter.  I think it's a good idea to add an airstone to the end of the airline to make sure the air is broken up before it enters the filter.  I do not notice any additional noise though it has been a long time since I have had it any other way.  In my case I have never had a problem with the filter stalling or any kind of build up of air pockets.

 I find it works quite well.

I have about 20 mbuna in a 55g and I have never had any filtration problems with just the one filter.

[saltydog]

Thank you for the "blow-by-blow" description. Sounds easy enough to set-up. I'll bet I won't be the only person to try this as a result of your post!

[james]

Yeah Art
I used aquaclears in tanks with babies before. Its ok , but you have to wrap some nylon or cloth over the intake tube or the babies will get sucked in. The advantage of using sponge filters is that the babies are safe and also they can feed off the sponges
James