Pot scrubbies bio home

[charliebankston]

My earliest understanding of mechanical filtration was based on adsorption. Eheim sold 2 versions of it. Both were extruded, smooth, non-reactive plastic. It looked like string. The coarser of the 2, the green stuff was first in the filter. The second was the white version because it would reduce the size of the advancing material even further. Next, I used a bag of chemipure carbon, then filter floss. ALL smashed into a Eheim cannister.

Of course things don't work well this way, but it seemed fine at the time. I got this "knowledge" from the Old Town Aquarium in northern Chicago.

I always have been skeptical of ceramic rings or sintered glass balls. And I thought bio balls were a scam. I used them all tho, lol. Turns out, after more research, ceramics are meh, and bio balls are actually pretty good. So I can see where the pot scrubbers are like a bio ball on steroids

 

[Mr. Overfilter]

On the aquaclear 110 I have on a 65g with little fish, mostly tetras and corys, I put a layer in there, then some ceramics that were already in there, then a piece of pinky floss

I sure would like to see a cross-section of that baby. I got addicted to knowing the path of water through a filter with my Fx6.

 

[Mr. Overfilter]

I always have been skeptical of ceramic rings or sintered glass balls. And I thought bio balls were a scam. I used them all tho, lol. Turns out, after more research, ceramics are meh, and bio balls are actually pretty good. So I can see where the pot scrubbers are like a bio ball on steroids.

I've read and heard all manner of things about the mats you mention here. If I may ask, how do you determine whether a mat is good or not or in-between?

 

[charliebankston]

I've read and heard all manner of things about the mats you mention here. If I may ask, how do you determine whether a mat is good or not or in-between?

Magic. Jk, the fish tell me

 

[fishwonder]

My earliest understanding of mechanical filtration was based on adsorption...

Interesting. The basic premise centers around the 30 ppi (pores per inch) number. 30 ppi will give great filtration but may eventually start to clog depending on bioload. So this biological foam (or whatever), starts to become mechanical around the 3-4 month time frame as it needs to be cleaned. 10 and 20 ppi foam will never clog (well 5 years anyway so close enough), so it is classified biological media. Pretty sure most will clean it sooner...

Anything over 30 ppi is mechanical as the pores are small and will trap free floating debris and start to clog. Media like 40+ ppi foam, filter floss (600 ppi) or pinky floss. This media will have to be changed/cleaned frequently, less than 4 weeks, depending again on bioload.

Comparing surface area in ft^2 per ft^3 (square ft per cubic ft):
1. 20 ppi foam = 220 square ft per cubic ft
2. 30 ppi foam = 340 square ft per cubic ft
3. Plastic pot scrubbies = 280 square ft per cubic ft

This would put pot scrubbies around the 25 ppi mark so it's all biological.

 

[Mr. Overfilter]

Magic. Jk, the fish tell me

"Sufficiently advanced technology would appear as magic to a less advanced society." Old Star Trek saying.

I agree, our fish tell the story. Healthy slime coats, strong eating habits and lots of activity. Toss in crystal clear water and solid biological activity and it's all fine, right?

 

[charliebankston]

Interesting. The basic premise centers around the 30 ppi (pores per inch) number. 30 ppi will give great filtration but may eventually start to clog depending on bioload. So this biological foam (or whatever), starts to become mechanical around the 3-4 month time frame as it needs to be cleaned. 10 and 20 ppi foam will never clog (well 5 years anyway so close enough), so it is classified biological media. Pretty sure most will clean it sooner...

Anything over 30 ppi is mechanical as the pores are small and will trap free floating debris and start to clog. Media like 40+ ppi foam, filter floss (600 ppi) or pinky floss. This media will have to be changed/cleaned frequently, less than 4 weeks, depending again on bioload.

Comparing surface area in ft^2 per ft^3 (square ft per cubic ft):
1. 20 ppi foam = 220 square ft per cubic ft
2. 30 ppi foam = 340 square ft per cubic ft
3. Plastic pot scrubbies = 280 square ft per cubic ft

This would put pot scrubbies around the 25 ppi mark so it's all biological.

Cool, good to know

 

[charliebankston]

"Sufficiently advanced technology would appear as magic to a less advanced society." Old Star Trek saying.



I agree, our fish tell the story. Healthy slime coats, strong eating habits and lots of activity. Toss in crystal clear water and solid biological activity and it's all fine, right?

I hope! Haha!

 

[Aiken Drum]

"Sufficiently advanced technology would appear as magic to a less advanced society." Old Star Trek saying.

I agree, our fish tell the story. Healthy slime coats, strong eating habits and lots of activity. Toss in crystal clear water and solid biological activity and it's all fine, right?

Arthur C. Clarke. I was just watching star trek discovery and the quote came up, and captain pike laughs and says Arthur C. Clarke. What a coincidence.

 

[charliebankston]

Arthur C. Clarke. I was just watching star trek discovery and the quote came up, and captain pike laughs and says Arthur C. Clarke. What a coincidence.

Haha! Small world

 

[Mr. Overfilter]

Interesting.

My response wasn't meant to be "interesting" and saying it was wasn't meant as a complement. My intention was designed to convey how simple mats were 30-years ago, but still got the job done. An issue that keeps coming up that I don't subscribe to is maintenance=bad. For me it seems that this aspect of fish keeping is bandied about as another reason why some filter mats should NOT be used (because someone who knows EVERYTHING says so), regardless of how functional that mat is. This is a hobby, with many different degrees of commitment and interest displayed by its practioners. I don't mind cleaning a filter. The process not just improves the environment my animals live in, but it's fun.

One last thing: My this is better than your that (plus my way is cheaper) exchanges! There are two posters here, that I know of, who use inappropriate pressure to forward THEIR personal egos/choices/agendas. At least one mod that I know of agrees with me in the clear. Being that this is an open forum, not a prison behavioral class taken under duress, it seems counterproctive to encourage new people to avoid using their brains.

Advise and recommend, when asked? Sure.

 

[Mr. Overfilter]

Arthur C. Clarke. I was just watching star trek discovery and the quote came up, and captain pike laughs and says Arthur C. Clarke. What a coincidence.

There was an interesting adaptation of the quote in Babylon5. It had to do with cavemen and Starfury's (fighter ship).

 

[fishwonder]

My intention was designed to convey how simple mats were 30-years ago, but still got the job done.

And I find it interesting that simple mats 30 years ago still got the job done, just like you say. That's all...

 

[charliebankston]

I only went the way of the pot scrubbers over foam mats because I found them at dollar gen for a buck. Much cheaper than any good foam I could find. And with 18 tanks running, and one more in the process of setting up, a few dollars here or there helps me big time.

 

[Mr. Overfilter]

And I find it interesting that simple mats 30 years ago still got the job done, just like you say. That's all...

And this is what happens when a bad salesman blows the script.

 

[Mr. Overfilter]

I only went the way of the pot scrubbers over foam mats because I found them at dollar gen for a buck. Much cheaper than any good foam I could find. And with 18 tanks running, and one more in the process of setting up, a few dollars here or there helps me big time.

Nothing I said was intended for you, Charlie.

 

[charliebankston]

Oh I know, just telling my reasoning. On an interesting and unrelated side note, they say electricity usage for an aquarium is $3-5 monthly. Not much. And that's about right, cuz my light bill has gone up about $100 monthly in the last year

 

[charliebankston]

It got me thinking about it the other day cuz I plugged in a little space heater in the living room the other day, and it was on a wall adjoining the fish room and near 2 other aquariums in the living room. When evening came and I turned on all the aquarium lights, it tripped the breaker, haha!

 

[Mr. Overfilter]

Oh I know, just telling my reasoning. On an interesting and unrelated side note, they say electricity usage for an aquarium is $3-5 monthly. Not much. And that's about right, cuz my light bill has gone up about $100 monthly in the last year

With 18 tanks I hope for your sake no version of the GND makes it to law. Do you have any idea why your general electricity jumped so much? We've creeped up about $400 over the past 2-years. The excuse is that the infrastructure needed a major upgrade. Unbelievably, it turns out that they were right. I haven't seen a black or brownout in 8-months.

 

[Mr. Overfilter]

It got me thinking about it the other day cuz I plugged in a little space heater in the living room the other day, and it was on a wall adjoining the fish room and near 2 other aquariums in the living room. When evening came and I turned on all the aquarium lights, it tripped the breaker, haha!

You've got a bullet-proof excuse for a gas generator, Charlie.