immproving filter

[buffalochip]

I have a 26gal bowfront with aqueon quiet flow 30 filter. I am wondering if i can improve bio-load by placing a nylon pot scrubber behind the filter pad that comes with the filter or will this slow down water flow too much??

 

[Fresh2o]

You may have to take scissors and slice up the pot scrubber to fit that narrow space. Certainly do-able. I would keep an eye on it and make adjustments as needed. The built in overflow at the front should let you know if the water flow is being impeded too much by the pot scrubber.
I've wanted to put ceramic media (because of their high surface area) into HOB filters that have vertical cartridges but could not figure out a practical way to do this until I tried the following:
Take a length of fishing line and thread it through a handful of the "noodle" style ceramic media rings and slowly drop it into the filter using a zig zag pattern leaving a ring or two at the top. This allows you to fill the available space efficiently and makes retrieval of media simple during filter maintenance.


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[buffalochip]

So you leave out the cartridge altogether??

 

[Fresh2o]

So you leave out the cartridge altogether??

If you are referring to the cartridge with floss on it, leave it in. Otherwise the filter will have no mechanical filtration. Leave the blue plastic grid thingy in there are well (that houses the beneficial bacteria).
If you ever decide to upgrade/change filters, I would recommend the Aquaclear/Fluval brand. They do not use vertical cartridges; they come with a sponge and media in nylon mesh bags. You can customize what goes into them (floss, extra biomedia, purigen, etc).


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[mikem691]

You may have to take scissors and slice up the pot scrubber to fit that narrow space. Certainly do-able. I would keep an eye on it and make adjustments as needed. The built in overflow at the front should let you know if the water flow is being impeded too much by the pot scrubber.
I've wanted to put ceramic media (because of their high surface area) into HOB filters that have vertical cartridges but could not figure out a practical way to do this until I tried the following:
Take a length of fishing line and thread it through a handful of the "noodle" style ceramic media rings and slowly drop it into the filter using a zig zag pattern leaving a ring or two at the top. This allows you to fill the available space efficiently and makes retrieval of media simple during filter maintenance.


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Hey Fresh. This is one of the best examples I have seen for improving this type of filter. This should be a sticky in the DIY section.

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[coralbandit]

IMO there are many ways to increase bio media.
But do you need it and what comes from it?
Most tanks will grow enough bacteria to handle the bio load needed(again IMO).
So what does extra bio get you?
More nitrates quicker?
If your tank is zero ammonia,and nitrite I'm not sure what you hope to achieve??????

 

[Fresh2o]

Hey Fresh. This is one of the best examples I have seen for improving this type of filter. This should be a sticky in the DIY section.

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Ha! Thanks Mike! I may have posted this in one of the "Tips & Hints" threads way, way back.
This came out desperation after dumping a bunch of loose noodles into a whisper or emperor 280, removing the cartridge for cleaning and NOT being able to put the cartridge back in without dumping everything out. I even do it with the Fluval AC series if I don't have mesh bag available. In my shrimp tank i drape the noodles over the HOB filter overflow and into the tank a bit. Algae grows on it but the cherry shrimp love it. I even saw a cherry climb OUT of the water while grazing on one of the noodles. Crazy.


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[Fresh2o]

IMO there are many ways to increase bio media.
But do you need it and what comes from it?
Most tanks will grow enough bacteria to handle the bio load needed(again IMO).
So what does extra bio get you?
More nitrates quicker?
If your tank is zero ammonia,and nitrite I'm not sure what you hope to achieve??????

This started back when I had a whisper HOB which had a cartridge only and no other place for bio media except for the cartridge itself. Which should be fine on its own. I also did this on the HOBs with biowheels because I was considering removing the wheel.
The extra media can be easily removed and used for seeding a new filter or for the QT.
In the OPs case, this would could be used as an alternative to the stock plastic grid media that came with the filter.
Yes, I agree with the amount of BB being proportional to the needs of the tank.


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[buffalochip]

Thank you all for your input. coralbandit is probably correct in that it is not necessary as "aquariumadvisor" says I have 116% of the filtration i need for my planned fiah load