filter media

[cowfish7]

I am still living in the dark ages and am using an internal box filter with floss and charcoal/zeolite. Are their other types of media that I could use instead, like bio-balls or something? Can you adequately filter a tank using bio& mechanical methods, and leave out the chemical?

cowfish7

[Menagerie]

Can you adequately filter a tank using bio& mechanical methods, and leave out the chemical?

Yes, unless you medicate the tank, then you would want to add charcoal back to your filter when you are done.

internal box filter

A canister filter or HOB?

[Sara]

I think we're talking about one of those old-school corner filters that I used to keep in my goldfish tank when I was a kid (on an aside, poor goldfish!)

Here's the info: http://www.csupomona.edu/~jskoga/Aqu...nerfilter.html

[TankGirl]

That box filter might be okay for the 10gal, if you tend to it regularly, since the puffers are not terribly messy provided there is not a lot of food that gets missed. I abandoned the use of those box filters years ago in favor of sponge filters when I want an internal filter.

If you are talking about the 29gal, that box filter is woefully inadequate, no matter what media you use. I agree that charcoal is not necessary unless you are trying to remove meds or clear the water of a tannin stain or something.

[cowfish7]

Thanks for the article link - that's the info I was looking for. I wasn't sure what kinds of media there were that would fit into my box filter. I checked a catalog and have found some BioGlass noodles that I am hoping will fit. Or maybe I will switch to a sponge...

TankGirl - thanks for noticing what tanks I am running. I use the box filter in the 10 gallon, which now sadly only has one puffer left. In fact, I just wondered if there was in fact a minimum bio-load for a tank. Hmm. The idea of a sponge filter sounds good to me, altho it seems like it doesn't do much (if anything) for mechanical filtration.

How often should the sponge be replaced?

Oh, and the 29 gallon, well that's another post, because I have been thinking of upgrading that filter, too (no, it's not a box filter!)...

cowfish7

[Menagerie]

The idea of a sponge filter sounds good to me, altho it seems like it doesn't do much (if anything) for mechanical filtration.

Sure it does! It catches the large crud in the tank and allows bacteria to grow.
The sponge should be washed in used tank water when it gets full of crud. With only one fish left, the washing may only need to be done once a month.