I'm switching everything to matten filters now. The benefit of the much larger footprint and the possibility of eating nitrate once the bacteria colony gets to it's peak along with me being lazy and their low maintenance needs is all win win for me.
My FX6's would be the only filters to directly apply to this thread. I've tested many different combinations over the years. Right now I use a course filter pad on the entrance followed by stacks of seachem matrix and a fine filter for water polishing on the out. It just doesn't make sense to use something fine on the intake as it's gonna plug faster meaning I'll have to provide more maintenance. As it sits now I can go 3 months before pulling them apart and the fine filter pad on the out side isn't nearly as plugged as it was when it was installed on the intake side. My water clarity has also improved and stays near perfect like this at all times.
Rounding it out with a correct light cycle and pothos and monstera my water is beautiful. It didn't happen overnight though..
Hobs I don't think you can win with those and they have to be cleaned at least bi-weekly regardless
LOL I keep editing this.
Mattens also don't require any additional electricity. I'm using an LPH80 linear piston pump to supply air to my fishroom and it powers all my mattens, bioreactors, breeding boxes etc etc. The only thing I'm using power for is the pump itself, heater controllers & heaters and wave makers. The majority of my tanks needs though can be met with the linear piston pump
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