Aquarium safe foam

[Smokey]

Tom - you have mentioned two very important points:

1 - clean filter media

2 - correctly fuctionly filter media

and

the 3rd,

not to be forgotten -

adequet filtration.

Filteration comprises of three steps:

Mechanical

Chemical

Bio-Logical

Chemical ... aka > Carbon, volcanic rock, etc... in most mature/well maintanied setups ... not necessary!! = mpo.

Mechanical - the material that catch's and holds the shW$. solid waste. EXTREMELY IMPORTANT aka - the outhouse>

BIO - LOGICAL BACTERIA ... if It an't there ... the tanks dies. and THE FISH die a horrible death

>

Any tank / filter should have 75% dedicated TO bio/bacteria.

25% for the #$%@ - [ clean daily

[Nyasa]

Hi Smokey,

Just wondering how often you replace your AC 500 sponges dedicated to biological filtration? I use 2 AC 500 filtres on my 90 gallon African cichlid tank and each filtre has 2 AC 500 sponges. With each water change, I thoroughly rinse and ring out one of the sets of filtre sponges with discarded tank water. In doing this I am leaving one filtre undisturbed between water changes. I am just wondering if these are becoming nitrate beds. I have used the same sponges for over two years now.

Thanks, David.

Edited August 9, 2004 by Nyasa

[Vallisneria]

I have sort of the same thing as David. I have a AC 500(and all my other tanks have AC on them too). I keep 2 AC sponges in each filter and every water change i rinse out both sponges(i keep 2 filters on the tank, so i only clean 1). I have also had the sponges for a very long time.

Even with cleanings are they nitrate traps? Should i change over to a smaller holed foam for mechanical(as mentinoed above) and just keep the AC foam for bio?

[rudy]

Even with cleanings are they nitrate traps? Should i change over to a smaller holed foam for mechanical(as mentinoed above) and just keep the AC foam for bio?

Yes. Having said that that the situation would differ depending on the waste accumulated.

As far as smaller holed sponges you do have to watch that as well. I used to use filter floss on the bottom and a sponge to hold it down. One day when the floss got full of crap I spilled about 10 gallons of water on the carpet via my ac and it could not drain into the tank fast enough. By the way this happened in a couple days, not a couple weeks. Best thing to use in my opionion is sponges, just make sure they are cleaned every week and replaced when you think they are not coming clean anymore.

[Smokey]

The fine foams:

I have two or three sets for any given filter.

I remove the dirty foams / every day or so; and replace with very clean foams.

To clean the fine mechanical foams - I run hot tap water over them and squeeze the #$%t out of them. I will let the foams sit in very hot tap water for an hour or so ;;; to make sure anything growing inside the fOAms is DEAD!!!!!!!

I then squeeze them some more in tap water until I am convinced they are clean.

Rinse in decholenated water and let dry. READY TO BE USED.

I have some of this material [ fine foam] well over 4 years old. continious use. When they do become ''not nice looking' they become glass cleaning foams, etc.....

The A.C. 500 foams ... many are over 10 years old. Never seem to wear out. Just keep on cleaning them.

MPE

HTH

Smokey

[Smokey]

P.S. - I clean the A.C. 500 foams [ squeeze and rinse in safe used tank water] about every 3 - 4 weeks.

MIND you the filters have 3, 6. or 9 A.C. 500 foams in each unit.

WITH 3 or 4 - 1'' fine foam on top to collect the mechanical debre. [ repaced dayly][ or so???? lol.].

When I do the W/C's - it is so easy to just reach into the filter and remove the dirty fine foams and replace with clean ones. ONLY TAKES A MINUTE

HTH

Smokey

[Smokey]

CH - how have you made out. ????????

[canucklehead]

I havent picked any up yet, still using the floss and some micron material. The micron stuff is great for polishing but I find it clogs very easily, best to use right after a water change for a couple hours

[Smokey]

Hobbiest's often complain that thier filters need too much maintance.

That they spend so much time doing maintance on their filters.

That the filters become "GROOSE" ; if they DO NOT CLEAN THEM OFTEN ENOUGH.

Hobbiest's go out and purchase the "Canister STYLE Filters. Believing that maintance is not necessary;{ as often.} . { according to the manf. instructions}.

In MPE/O - Filters are the HEART of any hobbiest's tank.

They clean the water, they remove the NH3's / NO2's / the solid waste's.

W/C's are the BLOOD of a hobbiest's tank.

Remember to maintine the filters and do those W/C's.

You fish will appreciate you for it!!!

smokey

[Yasper]

Would this foam and/or the quilt batting be a suitable replacement for the Reno Micro Filtration Pads in a Filstar XP canister?

http://www.aquariumpharm.com/media/micropad.html

I have two XP3 filtres on my tank, and these things are $11.00 for a box of three which starts to add up. They say to change them once per month, but I've been changing them every two weeks during water changes. (weekly water changes, alternate filtre maintenance)

[Smokey]

Yasper:_@>fine foams. If you are rrefering to the fine foams that I have used/suggested>purchased from a frabric store/ pure white/ 1/2" to 5" thick style: all I can say is maybe/Yes.

However_ and I do add the word HOWEVER!!! This type of fine foam can clog easily, because they do such a "fine" job [ lol]; and require more maintance than a coarse style foam [ a/c type foam]. I would suggest removing/cleaning them regulary / every 2-3 days> expierence will give you a better idea of how often they will require cleaning.

A suggestion - instal a prefilter on the pick-up tube of the filter. This will prevent the "dirt" from entering the filter to begin with. HOWEVER_ here is that word again_ you must clean the "Prerfilter foams" often. Remember they are removing the dirt first. Many who have installed a prefilter do-not maintain them and "Starve" the filter. Increased workload on the filters motor/ or even overheating the motor.

So; the bottom line __ give the material a try. After all the fine foam is cheap. Cut to fit and run the filter. Place close attention to the output flow rate!!!!

Smokey

Remember most products are the same/similar material as others. JUst different packaging... :smilebig:

AND [ no however}

WEEKLY maintance is the best cleaner of all.... :thumbs:

HTH.

[Yasper]

Gonna give it a try.

There's plenty of filtration before the water gets to the final compartment where I want to put these, this is just for the final polishing. I've tried rinsing out those reno pads, but they tend to fall apart and that's why I wanted something a little more permanent or less expensive.

Thanks

[Smokey]

Yasper;

Lets us know how it works out.

[Yasper]

OK, for the same price as the three little pads you get in the Reno filter box, I picked up a 2.18 x 2.74m sheet of quilt batting at Fabricland rather than the foam. I got the pre-packaged stuff pictured here:

http://www.fabriclandwest.com/quilters%20c...at_we_carry.htm

Specifically, the third one listed. I was gonna get them to cut me some off the bulk roll, but it was scary being in a fabric store all by myself. I had to get out before I got any strange ideas like purchasing silk to make a Pirate Shirt. YARRRR!!

In any case, I'm still a little hesitant to put this in my filters. It says it's 100% polyester and all, but asking an employee there if there may be any additives to the fibre that could be harmful to fish got me a look like

On this thread, and other boards, I've read enough times that many folks use quilt batting in their filters, so it's probably ok. Just wondering if anyone uses this particular brand with no problems.

[Smokey]

It is the same material.

Rinse it first in decholrenated water.

Smokey