Biowheel Filtration

[Tanked]

I am running out this weekend. had actualy decided already on an Emporer 330 but for $15 dollars more will go with the 400 instead. great filter from the research i've done and a friend of mine has been using the 400 for over a year on a 45 gallon tall hexagon and states his water has never been cleaner.

 

[LesGerber]

Thats true Tanked, your friend may have had great results but you have to remember that you are some 20 gallons more fo water and you may have more of a bio load on the tank. While from what I have read just now on the 400 its for tanks 40 and up......so you may not get the same results as your friend...... I would recommend keeping filter floss in the filter too to help polish the water.

Les

 

[Tanked]

thanks gerber,

I will add floss as well as a power head on both sides of my ugf, but that will have to wait until next week. money is tight right now. either way an Emporer 400 will do way more for my tank tham the aquaclear 200 my friend gave me with the tank.

 

[LesGerber]

I hear that Tanked.....lol Shucks my 300 has a fit trying to keep up with my 55 gallon with my bio load....I can just imagine what yours is doing....lol
Also heres a secret......go to Wal Mart back in the fabric department and get a bag of their polyester fiber fill, the stuff for pillows and such.....It is 100 percent polyester just like most stuff you get in the LFS except you save a ton....The LFS sells a 4 ounce bag for 2.00 bucks and you can get this bag at Wal Mart for 20 ounces for 2.50 ......that way you dont worry about changing it so much.....

Les

 

[Tanked]

gerber, you da man. thanks again. btw I noticed your join date was the day before I turned 30. just kinda funny I gues , or not , or maybe? I need a beer.

 

[Alia]

Hey Les, that fiber from the sewing department isn't treated with any non-fish-compliant chemicals, is it? I know that lots of fabrics have sizings and stuff on them - that's why I wash new clothes before I wear them (as your mom no doubt told you to do, too), so I am just curious about this. If not, then what a $$$ saving idea!

 

[LesGerber]

the stuff I got is called poly-fil and is made by Fairfield, its 100% prem ploy fiber and I have used it for over a month with no problems. I would make sure it said 100% but it works great.....I even have it in my baby tank to help keep that water clean and no problems.


Les

 

[Alia]

Cool.

 

[Tanked]

I got my emporer 400 about 28 hours ago - my old filter broke. Due to the ich treatment happening now the guy at the local fsm gave me cultered floss for it. not best to get from an fsm i know but i did not have much choice. my roomate called me from work and told me that the motor had burned up. made bad electic smells. I told him to unplug it. I guess I should have been more specific because he threw it away. (even though the tank is his he is no longer aloud to touch it) I will buy a new tank soon. I am very impressed with the Emporer 400. my water had gone crazy. and in just over 1 day it has brought my water to a much more manageable state. for anyone who does not want to go with a canister route I Highly recomend the marine land emporer series (tank size appropriate) the 400 kicks much butt and looks really good sitting on the back of the tank. Like and big black mean filtering machine. I think as things become more normal in the tank my fish will definatly appreciate it more that the 15 old beatup aquaclear 200 that was running.

 

[LesGerber]

Tanked, I am so happy that the new filtration is working out great for you. I knew you would get results over the old AC200 but it sounds like you are getting better than expected reults. Just one question, does this new one have diesposable filter cartriges or can you design you own. That is one thing I like about the AC series as you can put in what you want. I usually have mune with 1 1/2 sponges for bio and the rest is ploy fil to keep water clean.
Keep us informed as to your great sucess

Les

 

[Tanked]

Les,

the answer to your 2 part question is yes. it has to disposable carbon cartridges, to refillable cartridges (have floss in them now) and plenty of room to fill about a half gallon resorvior with more floss. I am going to try to fine 2 more refillable cartridegs for it and use them for carbon rather than the dispsable carbon.

tanks for all of your help les and allie

 

[marineland-man]

Hey Tanked!!

Glad to hear of your success with the emperor 400, they are a great choice. In response to one of the questions to you above, you can get the prefab cartridges for the 400 made by marineland ( a good choice for simplicity) but if you are a do it yourselfer, at alot of places you can get cartridges that are made for a variety of filters but have no carbon for tank treatment purposes, you can take those and add whatever you wish, be it more foam or floss or different types of carbon. Another thing about the 400's that are nice that people rarely take advantage of is the extra media basket in it. If you have a high bio load its a great idea to put some of the white diamond (ammo absorbing) or the diamond blend (black diamond carbon mixed with white) the extra really makes a difference. Hope everything goes well!

 

[Tanked]

i'm using the extra media basket, what I want to find is 2 more. the replacement carbon fliters are very expensive. I use the diamond blend in my extra baskets now!! great stuff.

 

[marineland-man]

You can extend the life of the replacement cartridges by rinsing them out frequently...you should be able to use them for up to a month and a half, after that the filter pad will be fine but the carbon will be depleated...also something I have done in the past, if you dont want to use the media basket...do this

Do this next time its time to change your cartridges if you want and dont need the extra carbon if you dont have a high bio load...
Take out your baskets and put your OLD cartridges in the back slots where the baskets would go after they have been rinsed out, and then put your NEW cartridges in the front slots where the old ones were, that way the old ones act as a sort of prefilter to get the goop before the water gets to the new cartridges!

 

[Tanked]

what I have been doing is putting the carbon inserts in the back slots, the refillables (with diamond blend) in the front slots. I fill the back of the resorvoir with floss to filter the gunk out first.