Water polishing

[potterlu]

Afternoon all,

I am currently running a 60 gallon aquarium that has what is essentially a Penguin 330 (generic name; same parts). It appears to provide good biological filtration; I've had few problems with. However, my only complaint is that my water never appears to be clear. This leads to the question: what sort of filters would anyone recommend for water polishing and the like? I'm looking at adding a canister filter to the mix just to get some more media into play, but if anyone has any other suggestions, I'm listening. Thanks in advance.

Luke

[workfortheman]

Canister is great idea. If you wanna go with less but maintain a little flexability, I suggest the Aquaclear filters. The media chamber is very manipulatable (is that a word). For instance mine currently houses lots of polyester filter floss, for exactly what you need: water polishing!

BUT, I really can't speak highly enough of my canister. It's the coolest/most useful peice of aquarium equipment I've ever invested in!

[WildFish]

Hmm yeah more filteration is what you need with what you have now its just barely doing its job with it being a lil cloudy....i highly recommend this canister filter its by MarineLand a friend of mine who owns a pet shop swears by it....Magnum 350 which includes the following -Carbon/Media Container, Water-Polishing Micron Cart, Rite-Size Foam sleeve, Black Diamond Prem Activated Carbon-350gph- Magnum 350 basic you can find it on....
www.DrFosterSmith.com

8) 8) 8)

[Acer]

i also have a hagen aqua-clear 300, i keep 2 sponges and 1 fiber pad in there, i never had the chance to complain about my water not being clear..

[Jchillin]

I use filter floss in my fluval 404 with no problems and the water is really clear.

[azn_fishy55]

Are you changing the water at least monthly?Every two weeks I change 35% of the water in my 15 gallon. If I don't the water turns stinky and cloudy.

[BillD]

When you say the water isn't clear do you mean it has visible suspended particles? or is it discoloured, or milky?

[nomadofthehills]

Aquaclear will do the trick. But after 2 weeks, screw the carbon. Just get another sponge. Filter floss sucks imo, it get clogged with crap too quickly.

[azn_fishy55]

true BillD, water mixed with non-soluable particles are colloids and are supended in the water because they are too light to settly out. If the particles are colloids you should filter them out(with a very fine filter pad)or change the water.Ummmm..I think they are called colloids or suspension but they can still be filtered out.

[TankGirl]

An incompletely cycled tank can appear cloudy, too, but I'd say that you are likely underfiltered, depending on your fish load, but at least there is probalby inadequate water movement.

I'm a fan of canisters for pretty much any tank over 29 gallons or so. I even use an HOB in concert with canisters on heavily stocked tanks.

[Jchillin]

Originally Posted by nomadofthehills

Aquaclear will do the trick. But after 2 weeks, screw the carbon. Just get another sponge. Filter floss sucks imo, it get clogged with crap too quickly.

Isn't that the point, to remove the crap? I change the floss during my monthly filter maintenance and I love the fact that the crap is in the filter floss and not inside my tank.

[TankGirl]

Originally Posted by Jchillin

Isn't that the point, to remove the crap? I change the floss during my monthly filter maintenance and I love the fact that the crap is in the filter floss and not inside my tank.

Amen to that, lol!

That "crappy" floss is also the very best way to seed another tank - it is loaded with biobugs.

[workfortheman]

Ahhhh, jchillin you really beat me to my own defense lol. I just discovered filter floss and love it. It cleared my flourite cloud in like 2 hours tops!!!!!!

[Jchillin]

Like I already said, the method works I'm just glad I learned about it. The pics of the tanks prove this. If these are the results I can get from a little extra work, it is well worth it IMO.