FLOSS VS SPONGE

[BobK]

I have an Emperor 400 filter. The filter has two removable optional media cartridges made of hard plastic in which you can add various media types. I was thinking of using these cartrdiges instead of buying the pre-made cartridges they sell. My question is what is the differences between using filter floss and sponges? Is floss mainly to remove particles and the sponge for colonizing bacteria? If so, would I be better off just using floss in the cartridges as the dual bio-wheels do the bacterial filtration? Thanks.

 

[Lateral Line]

Open cell sponge is avaliable in different sizes. It is quite good as biological media, but does clog easily. Floss is a fine polishing media for trapping any last odds and sods that get through the rest of the media. Floss clogs more easily then sponge because it traps finer material. As the media clogs, the flow rate through the filter and wheels will drop. A lot depends on how well the water is mechanically filtered before it gets to these cartridges. You may be better off just putting some ceramic tubes in there.

In biowheel filters, you ar eright, a lot of the biological activity is done by the wheels.

 

[BobK]

What are ceramic tubes for?

 

[Lateral Line]

Ceramic tubes offer both mechanical filtration which is not that easy to clog, and a place for bacteria to colonise. As I said before, a lot depends how well mechanically filtered the water is when it reaches these canisters, you certainly don't want any large particulate crud going to the wheels which are notorious for blocking if anything big gets in them.

 

[BobK]

Thanks for the info. The water is filtered very well by the existing cartridges. The problem is I bought some from e-bay that weren't made by the manufacturer. They don't fit perfectly and some water gets by them. I shoved four cartridges in there instead of two and it seems to be okay.