how to stop your filter from sucking sand?

[summitxho]

I have a penguin 150 filter modified to fit my 10 gallon tank, the intake is about 3" above the sandbed, but my fish keeps making new homes under the rock and kicks sand out like crazy and creates a bit of a sandstorm in the tank, this fine sand then gets sucked into my filter and it jams it and stops working, any fixes to this? or just maintenance of removing the filter and cleaning the sand out everytime? Thanks

[tripper]

One thing you could do is to put a filter sponge over the intake, much like people do with their powerheads. This would filter out most of the sand before it ever had a chance to get up into your filter. Give that a shot and you should be all set.

tripper

[summitxho]

thanks, sounds like it should work. Just more of a nusiance than anything else, I think it may be because of the sand I got, its caribsea white sand, its very very fine so it gets stirred up easy, I am hoping once my sandbed becomes live it will settle down

[melosu58]

I agree with filter sponge and keep it clean

[summitxho]

do they make filter sponges for a marineland penguin 150? or just buy something close and make it fit? Are these sponges another source of filtration that will need changing? or only cleaning? Will this create a nitrate factory eventually like the biowheel?

[tripper]

I don't think they make specific sponges for that filter, you will just have to find something about the right size and make it fit. You will not need to change the sponges, but cleaning them often will keep your tank in better shape.

Once your sand becomes live it will not get stirred up easily. The bacteria will hold the sand particles together and weigh them down. Just be patient.

tripper

[tecwzrd]

This might work.

[DeFeKt]

one of your mums/sisters/girfriends stocking rubber banded around it for a quick fix

[ferretttt]

I bought some filter sponge from the lfs. Very porous stuff.

It was a large block, which I cut into squares, poked a hole down the middle and then zip tired it to the power heads and filter intake. Works well and all I need to do is to give em a squeeze or wash em off in the sink once in a while(usually when I empty the protein skimmer)