Biological Filters

[Michaela521]

What do you gyes consider to be the best biological filter for a 36 gallon tank. I have heard that the bio-wheel pros are the best around. I have read that they are easy to maintain and excellent at being a biological filter cause they are exposed to the air. What in your opinion is the best biological filter for a 36 gallon tank. Thank you

 

[Tolak]

A canister with straight bio media. Fluidized bed filters are supposed to be better, but finicky to keep running from what I hear.

 

[Michaela521]

How much bio-media is necessary though for a 36 gallon tank. I assume that it all depends on what bio-media you use so what is the best bio-media out there as well. Thank you.

 

[Tolak]

How much bio media depends on the fish you are keeping. 20 neons & a few livebearers in a 36 won't need much. A larger messy cichlid will need a lot.

Eheim makes some of the best bio media around. There ehfi substrat has 5,000 square feet of surface per quart of media. That's a lot of surface for bacteria to colonize.

 

[Michaela521]

I don't know if this is a good idea or not but I unfortunately already got a canister pump the magnum 350 canister filter. It basically has a mechanical fitler in it that is a course sponge filter over a fine sponge filter and then a container that can hold about 4 cups of whatever. The manufacturer usually uses carbon in there but I am sure I can use bio-media instead. This canister pump is capable of handling a 100 gallon tank, alot larger than my little 36 gallon gye. Mayby I could somehow fill the container in the magnum 350 canister filter with Eheims bio-media and then fill the other half with carbon. According to there specs 2 cups of there bio-media should handle the fish tank but mayby the carbon will break apart and clog the pores of the bio-media or perhaps it will be somewhat complicated cause I will have to change the carbon and bio-media at different intervals or perhaps clean the bio-media but not the carbon. Mayby I could cut out a screen/sponge filter or something to separate them two(carbon and bio-media), still another thought mayby 4 cups of bio-media is much better that an aquarium with 2 cups of bio-media and 2 cups of carbon. Thanks for the help. I really do appreciate this.

 

[dylema]

Canisters are usually quite versitile in that they provide a space for you to put what ever media you want. Personally I would take out all the carbon (unless you are having a problem with water clarity due to wood colouring the water or something similar) and fill all the available space with a good media like the eheim products or similar. Carbon has to be changed fairly regularly and so if this is the main place bacteria are living you will be throwing away good bacteria everytime you change your carbon.

The basic idea you are going for is to maximise surface area of your media (therefor providing the most area for bacteria to colonise) without restricting flow or making problems with clogging etc.

I would put the foam in first so the other media doesn't have to deal with the particulate waste, this will make cleaning easy and you will hardly ever have to replace any of your media other than a fine sponge every now and then.

Hope this helps