Filter Wool, Where Do I Put It?

[IAmATeaf]

The one big advantage to having 2 filters would be negated by having the filters in serial, namely redundancy. With them in serial I'd suspect that 1 filter going bad would stop the lot.

I've also got a question, would synthetic filter wool be classed as polishing media?

 

[kaivalagi]

The one big advantage to having 2 filters would be negated by having the filters in serial, namely redundancy. With them in serial I'd suspect that 1 filter going bad would stop the lot.

I've also got a question, would synthetic filter wool be classed as polishing media?

Yes and yes

But just for the sake of argument, because this is not my point, let's say the filters wont go wrong...or that there were 4 filters, setup with 2 x 2 serial

 

[IAmATeaf]

Well I reckon it should work, the only real question, for which I don't have an answer is if the loading on the filters, due to both impellers being in series would be effected and would it in turn shorten the life of the filter.

 

[OldMan47]

I would avoid putting two powered filters in series. Unless the pumping of the two impellers were virtually identical, you would end up with pressure in places in the second filter that were designed to run under a slight vacuum. Sealing everything properly would be my first concern there.
A way to protect a filter from much of the loose mechanical debris and also protect fry is to put a supplemental sponge filter on the inlet tubing. I do it all the time to protect fry in livebearer tanks but it also adds to my biological capacity in that tank and keeps a lot of the loose debris from getting into my filter in the first place. After the exposed sponge starts to get dirty, I simply vacuum it off with my gravel vac during a water change. This is a picture of a sponge mounted on a HOB canister filter that is a PITA to clean. It has allowed me to avoid cleaning the main part of that filter for over a year now.

 

[kaivalagi]

So, not worth the trouble I guess, it may also be more appropriate if you were to go to this much trouble to use a sump instead I guess, for room for all the stages etc.

Would simply putting a shaped piece of foam (about as porous as you've shown) into the "cage" of the inlet ending be a sensible thing?, you know this part here:

That would be dead easy to clean as the whole thing pops off and it wouldn't cause much of a mess doing that in the process...

 

[OldMan47]

I considered doing something like that but thought better of it Kaivalaki. By using a large chunk of filter media, I get a large easy to clean surface to collect dirt. On the small amount I could put into an inlet basket, I would quickly see it plugged up to the point where it would no longer pass water flow. It would work fine for keeping fry out of the filter but would require at least weekly cleaning.

 

[kaivalagi]

mmmm, weekly clean is fine but I guess it is still a risk as it could restrict flow quite quickly...especially if my fish are gnawing away at my vallis....not sure which but I am thinking hungry oto's are to blame since they all got moved into a new tank (no major areas of algae for them)

I think I might make a piece that slips over the top of the inlet cage, like a sponge filter in a way, can you buy the sponge from sponge filters readily? I haven't seen any locally because no one seems to use them here...it would just be nice to get a couple of rounded pieces, about the size of a tennis ball or maybe a little smaller

edit: pre-filter sponges might do the trick, just need to figure out which ones available will fit the inlet basket nicely...would have to be big ones at a guess, I wouldn't want to have to compact the foam to fit it on...

@IAmATeaf - sorry for the hijack of the topic, I assume this is as interesting to you as me?

 

[OldMan47]

The sponge I used was sold as a replacement sponge for one of the name brand filters. All I did was cut a slit in one end and pull it up over the inlet tube of the filter. Because the sponge has some springiness to it, it closed in around the tube fairly well. This is a picture of it on my desk before I fitted it in place.

 

[IAmATeaf]

@IAmATeaf - sorry for the hijack of the topic, I assume this is as interesting to you as me?

No probs, I have the same Hagen inlet on my tank so whatever you decide to opt for may well become useful info for me in the future.