Filtration

[rain87]

So after being on here for a while I have some questions about how to make the most of my filter. I have a Marineland penguin 350B HOB filter. The it has 2 slots on either side for filter cartriges followed by a biowheel on each side. I currently am still using the cartriges the filter came with and just rinse them and the biowheels with tank water during each pwc. Is this what I should be doing? Is there anything I should add or change to better my filtration with my current filter?

 

[allaboutfish]

no that is the best thing you can do and there really isnt anything else you should add. but never replace the cartlidges but if you must just do one and wait a while before doing the other.

 

[xfactor6699]

My brother has that same filter and we modified the heck out of it and it saves him money and his water is amazingly clear so here we go....the plastic piece that holds the filter we cut the filter off of it and got the foam rolls that u can cut and we also got poly-fil.... Take the plastic piece and put it in the slot it goes in cut the filter the size u need it and add it in and behind that add poly-fil then u have it.... Change the poly-fil every pwc and dont worry a $5 bag will last like a year..and when it comes to cleaning the filter do it the way u have always done it (the new filter pad is much better than the ones that come with it they last longer) and when u need to replace it u still have the foam pad just cut another piece off... So u dont loose bb take the old pad that has the bb and put it in ur tank next to the intake tube for 2 weeks and ur good to go

 

[rain87]

I might try that so far I haven't had any problems just wondering. I used to have the whole mentality that you change the cartridge like once a month until I learned about the nitrogen cycle. And yes the plan was that if I change out the cartridges that I would do it one at a time waiting at least 2 weeks in between keeping a close eye on levels. The other question I have is will the carbon in my filter cartridges such the liquid ferts out of my water?

 

[adeebm]

Yes, the carbon will remove ferts as long as it is active. It only lasts a week anyway. Some people thing it will leach out what it absorbed once its full. It's better to remove it anyway, unless you specifically need it. I prefer to take out the cartridges and put in foam blocks and ceramic biomedia, but that might nit work with the penguin. I scrapped mine for an aquaclear

--Adeeb

 

[Mr. Limpet]

Yes, the carbon will remove ferts as long as it is active. It only lasts a week anyway. Some people thing it will leach out what it absorbed once its full. It's better to remove it anyway, unless you specifically need it. I prefer to take out the cartridges and put in foam blocks and ceramic biomedia, but that might nit work with the penguin. I scrapped mine for an aquaclear

--Adeeb

Carbon won't leach anything back into the water colmn once its adsorbtion process is complete. It will become a home to beneficial bacteria though.