Fluval biomax

[Wayne487]

I was looking at some bio max media for my tank which has been running around 7weeks already should I get some to help my filters or would it restart the cycle? Also how often should I change my filters? I haven't changed them yet but was thinking maybe its about time now?

 

[scuba dude]

I do my filters once a month. A lot will probably depend on what you are stocked with. The more heavily stocked your tank is will incerase how often you clean filters ; as well as water changes ( the amount and frequency ) and gravel cleaning.

 

[Hbbambislayer]

Bio Max is just ceramic rings that provide more surface area inside the fleet for your BB to grown on adding it will in no way restart a cycle. 2 questions for you though that may help me and or others with your question. 1 what type of filter do you own? 2 what EXACTLY do you mean by changing your filter, taking out the carbon and replacing it, taking or dirty pads or sponges and replacing it just cleaning some stuff and putting it back. Please be specific here this 1 is important.

 

[Wayne487]

Bio Max is just ceramic rings that provide more surface area inside the fleet for your BB to grown on adding it will in no way restart a cycle. 2 questions for you though that may help me and or others with your question. 1 what type of filter do you own? 2 what EXACTLY do you mean by changing your filter, taking out the carbon and replacing it, taking or dirty pads or sponges and replacing it just cleaning some stuff and putting it back. Please be specific here this 1 is important.

Right ok ill do my best to answer both in as much detail as possible.

1) my filter is a juwel bio flow 3.0 I'm not sure on its turn over rate but I have 125L tank

2) and I meant replacing all the media inside the filter, the coarse and fine sponges the carbon, nitrax and the poly pads. I have cleaned my poly pads using a little tank water to get rid of some of the bits but they're looking kind of dirty brown colour now.

If I'm replacing any sponges/carbon should I do it in stages, what I mean by this is week 1 replace fine sponge, week 2 replace coarse, week 3 carbon and so on so that I don't lose all good bacteria that's in there

 

[Lynx99]

Right ok ill do my best to answer both in as much detail as possible.

1) my filter is a juwel bio flow 3.0 I'm not sure on its turn over rate but I have 125L tank

2) and I meant replacing all the media inside the filter, the coarse and fine sponges the carbon, nitrax and the poly pads. I have cleaned my poly pads using a little tank water to get rid of some of the bits but they're looking kind of dirty brown colour now.

If I'm replacing any sponges/carbon should I do it in stages, what I mean by this is week 1 replace fine sponge, week 2 replace coarse, week 3 carbon and so on so that I don't lose all good bacteria that's in there

I have a bio flow too for juwel. You don't replace everything at once. You are supposed to do it in stages. They recommend:

Replace the white poly pad on a weekly basis. Replace the black carbon sponge approx. every month. Replace the green Nitrax sponge every 2 months. Replace the blue, coarse filter sponge after approx. 3 months. Replace the white Cirax filter basket with ceramics after approx. 12 months. Replace the blue, fine filter sponge after approx. 9-12 months.

 

[scuba dude]

That may be a good idea to do it in stages . Others here might be able to give you a little more help.

If you can add biorings into what you have it would be where the good bacteria will build up , sure it is in other places too but a good amount will be trapped there. Then the next time you change your media just rinse the biorings in tank water and reuse them. This way you will keep your good bacteria and it will allow you to change your media all at the same time. It would cut down on the amount of times you had to open up your filter which to me would be a good thing.

 

[Hbbambislayer]

Now we're talking. Ok if your tank is cycled taking pads media foam out will be bad. 90% ish of your BB lives there pads and any type of ceramic media only gets replaced when its totaly dicenigrated (im not a speller). When there dirty or you notice a change in flow you can rinse them around in tank water only tap water will kill your BB. Removing that stuff will definitely cause a mini cycle or worse and youll have to start over again. The carbon thats expendable. Can I ask why you want to change the filter or what your goal is in adding the biomax and where you wanted to out it. Give me a minute ill look into that filter so I have a better underatanding of its set up and can help you out more with what you may be trying to achive with it.

 

[scuba dude]

I have a bio flow too for juwel. You don't replace everything at once. You are supposed to do it in stages. They recommend:

Replace the white poly pad on a weekly basis. Replace the black carbon sponge approx. every month. Replace the green Nitrax sponge every 2 months. Replace the blue, coarse filter sponge after approx. 3 months. Replace the white Cirax filter basket with ceramics after approx. 12 months. Replace the blue, fine filter sponge after approx. 9-12 months.

There you go. That sums it up pretty well for you.


It seems to me like an awful lot of maintinace to me , the need to change pads weekly but if it works for then go with it. I only need to do my filters once a month

 

[Lynx99]

That said I dont actually replace the polypad weekly. Rinsing it in tank water once a week does the trick and I replace it when it starts to disintegrate a little, that way you get longer out of it; but the white polypads are cheap enough.

 

[Hbbambislayer]

Looking at this thing and seeing whats in it and how the water flows assuming you have it set up in the stock form. That basket contains something called Cirax which looking at it looks very simalar to Ehiem substrate pro which arguably and please dont is the best bio subsrate there is I have fluval so im not preaching eheim. In my opinon I wouldnt change anything inside that thing bacteria seems like it be quiet happy in there. I always disagree with replacing anything inside a canister unless its falling to pieces but some monthly or so cleaning of the inside parts is always a good thing just simple rinsing is sufficient clean out pores in sponges and media to get optimal water flow. Just my opionon. If you wanted to keep some bio max or whatever on hand to replenish the cirax as it disenigrates thats a good idea but thatll be awhile.

 

[Lynx99]

You really do have to at least rinse the polypad weekly in tank water as its just a coarse filter and you dont rely on it to house your bb. All the other sponges do. If you dont rinse it I find it gets VERY clogged.

 

[Wayne487]

My filter didn't actually come with any cirax which is why I was looking into the bio max I assumed it was the same thing just a different brand, I'm not aiming for anything in particular other than trying to give my fish the best setup i can afford as far as filter goes. i often see people posting pictures with a tank underneath which I assume works as some sort of filter/ partial water change system and was wondering what the benefits to that are or is that only for really large tanks?

 

[Hbbambislayer]

Does it have that basket in it though? If it does than yes by all means add some bio max or the eheim. If it doesnt have that basket it looks like that cirax comes in one but I think the other poster can elaborate more on that beings they have this filter and have the experience with it. Thats a sump/refugium depending on how its set up and yes as a general its for your bigger tanks. Its good for hiding your heaters as well as making wster changes easier and add well as acting as your filter. There usually set up with three stages your mechanical filter area first some have little bags where the input flows threw to catch the crud, your second area is your bio area with bio balls, micro macro algae, things like that and your third is your return area usually an internal pump is used to push the water back into the tank but you may have a external pump.

 

[Lynx99]

The cirax is optional in some of those bioflows. You can add the basket to the 1st spot on the lower half of the basket and it lasts as someone above said for well over a year.

 

[Hbbambislayer]

I'm currently saving for a reef tank (wife says I can't charge it) I'll be having a sump. It'll be from a company called trigger systems. 3 stage. 1st will be for my external protein skimmer and heaters. 2nd will be live sans and live rock for the bio plus my probes for salinity,ph and temp. 3rd will be return I'll be using an internal pump plus my reactors for nitrate and carbon and phosphate will return into that section.