Filter Layers

[coco*butter]

Hello everyone! I want to know how you guys layer your media in your aquaclear. I am cycling my tank again and using my same filter and gravel. It been there 3 years hehe

 

[waterdrop]

Hopefully some member will come along with *specific* advice for your AquaClear because they've done it but since no one has...

A common general approach is to first be completely sure of your water direction. Its very common for the water to go bottom to top through the media stack, but just be sure and verify that to yourself. So lets say it is indeed going bottom to top, so we've got the unfiltered debris-laden water approaching the bottom first. Often a large coarse biomedia is used first. Ceramic rings are pretty state-of-the-art for this as the heavy rings stay put and force the little water streams that go through them to slow down and mix up a bit. At the same time the rough ceramic surfaces get loaded with bacteria, thus biofiltration begins right away. Larger debris begins to get caught in this as the water speed slows down. Alternatives are plastic "bioballs"or other plasic thingies of various sorts or gravel of some type might begin here. A next thing would be coarse sponge. Coarse sponge coming right after rings will finalize the trapping of larger debris particals, so it completes a stage of mechanical filtration but of couse, being sponge, its an excellent biomedia and biofiltration continues. Next might come a layer of ceramic gravel. This is a major biofiltration layer and it traps a finer size of debris particle. It slows the water flow even more. Next comes a finer sponge or perhaps at this point the final pack of polyfloss or floss pad is placed to "polish" the water by getting out the finest of particles.

In the unusual event of needing chemical media (often to clear meds, remove tannins or organic smells) you can often substitute it in for some of the upper layer ceramic gravel or perhaps in place of one of the sponges. If its carbon, you then remove it after 3 days and throw it out and refresh with more carbon or go back to ceramic gravel or sponge if you have accomplished the chemical filtration task.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[tgo]

So glad this came up since I was wondering too. The packaging recommends that the bottom media is the foam media (mechanical filtration) the middle carbon (chemical) and the top Biomax media (biological). I'm a beginner, but I read somewhere that the carbon is not needed unless removing meds, plus it needs frequent replacing. I followed the recommended placement, except that I replaced the carbon with an extra layer of Biomax in my Aquaclear 30. Maybe it is possible to add more layers than the recommeded number, or use media not specifically intended for the Aquaclear brand.

 

[coco*butter]

Wowie I didnt so much stuff could fit into a aqua clear.
Thank you

 

[waterdrop]

Don't get me wrong, there are any number of approaches that might work. I was just offering the logic behind one that I know is pretty good...

~~waterdrop~~