Best Biological Filtration Media?

[David941]

I'm looking for something cheap and doesn't need to be replaced at all or as often as carbon. I have a 40 gallon Axolotl tank and a 2 1/2 gallon temp tank with a Betta and 2 baby Bristlenose plecos until I setup their 35 gallon hexagon tank soon (I plan on making an internal sump filter for that) but I don't know what bio media to use. I need to lower the ammonia, nitrate and nitrite levels in the Axolotl tank. Lava rocks seem like one of the cheapest and easiest to use but how often do I have to replace it? Forgot to mention I have a canister filter for the Axolotls.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Wonder if this thread will help you. It basically explains what and how filter media works. Then you can find out online what prices they are and whether it suits your budget etc.
 
One more point, no need to keep carbon media in your filters. Carbon is best when you are medicating your stocking / tank and carbon is only active for a short term, like a couple of weeks maximum. So basically after 2 weeks or more, the carbon will then leach out the mediation compounds.
 
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/139488-know-your-filter-media/

 

[David941]

Wonder if this thread will help you. It basically explains what and how filter media works. Then you can find out online what prices they are and whether it suits your budget etc.
 
One more point, no need to keep carbon media in your filters. Carbon is best when you are medicating your stocking / tank and carbon is only active for a short term, like a couple of weeks maximum. So basically after 2 weeks or more, the carbon will then leach out the mediation compounds.
 
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/139488-know-your-filter-media/

Yeah that's why I'm trying to switch from carbon. Now that the water is clear I don't feel it's really beneficial to leave in there. 

 

[StevenF]

In my opinion thebest  filtration media is plants.  Healthy growing plants will remove nitrogen, phosphates, potassium and other materials from the water and  release oxygen in the water. With plants it is possible to get 0 ammonia,0  nitrite and zero to low nitrate readings consistently.   Unfortunately the key phrase is" healthy growing"  If the plants are not healthy and or not growing they won't help.  Someimes it can be difficult to get plants to grow well. 

 

[David941]

In my opinion thebest  filtration media is plants.  Healthy growing plants will remove nitrogen, phosphates, potassium and other materials from the water and  release oxygen in the water. With plants it is possible to get 0 ammonia,0  nitrite and zero to low nitrate readings consistently.   Unfortunately the key phrase is" healthy growing"  If the plants are not healthy and or not growing they won't help.  Someimes it can be difficult to get plants to grow well. 

I do want to make a planted aquarium for my Axolotls but they are different sizes making it unsafe to house together. I planned on doing it once they could all be safely housed together and are eating well. I don't have a good lighting system anyway making it impossible to grow pretty much anything.
I think for the internal sump for the hexagon tank I'm gonna go with layered sponge and lava rock. I might end up making an external sump for the Axolotls just because the canister filter I have doesn't have much space for biological media besides carbon. I'll try crushed up lava rocks for that but I think a wet/dry filter would be better.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Yeah that's why I'm trying to switch from carbon. Now that the water is clear I don't feel it's really beneficial to leave in there. 

 
Indeed, but its worth keeping some carbon in your cupboard on standby should you need it for removing meds.
 
As for keeping the water clear, i find some filter floss in your filter does the best job, just replace the floss every week. You can buy a 2m roll of this floss online, cut to size for your filter, and also it is cheap and lasts for quite some time. Just a suggestion.
 
And StevenF mentions plants, yes, plants are indeed very good for your tank in many ways, as he says, healthy plants are the best way of achieving this. So perhaps would be a suggestion to start with easy to care for and fast growing plants such as elodea and vallisernias as well as floating plants to name few options as being nutrient hungry meaning they will absorb a lot of ammonia and nitrate from the water column. Slow growing but fairly easy low tech plants that do not need good lighting system, such as java ferns, anubias, cryptocorynes are popuar choices as well as being easily availbale from most LFS.

 

[David941]

 

Yeah that's why I'm trying to switch from carbon. Now that the water is clear I don't feel it's really beneficial to leave in there. 

 
Indeed, but its worth keeping some carbon in your cupboard on standby should you need it for removing meds.
 
As for keeping the water clear, i find some filter floss in your filter does the best job, just replace the floss every week. You can buy a 2m roll of this floss online, cut to size for your filter, and also it is cheap and lasts for quite some time. Just a suggestion.
 
And StevenF mentions plants, yes, plants are indeed very good for your tank in many ways, as he says, healthy plants are the best way of achieving this. So perhaps would be a suggestion to start with easy to care for and fast growing plants such as elodea and vallisernias as well as floating plants to name few options as being nutrient hungry meaning they will absorb a lot of ammonia and nitrate from the water column. Slow growing but fairly easy low tech plants that do not need good lighting system, such as java ferns, anubias, cryptocorynes are popuar choices as well as being easily availbale from most LFS.
 

I have to do daily water changes for the Axolotls so the water is always crystal clear. It was mostly after I added and removed the sand when it was cloudy. The sand was causing ammonia spikes since I didn't have any plants so I removed it to keep maintenance as easy as possible. I might steal some of my dads cichlid tanks driftwood since its already cycled and I've heard it helps with nitrates or nitrites (I don't remember which one but both need to be lower anyway)

 

[StevenF]

 
 
I might steal some of my dads cichlid tanks driftwood since its already cycled and I've heard it helps with nitrates or nitrites (I don't remember which one but both need to be lower anyway)

Driftwood is dead and will likely have no impact on nitrites and nitrates.  If there is moss or plants growing on it the plants will consum nitrites and nitrates.  Plants consume nitorgen and incorperate it in new leaves and stems.