I Just Had An Idea, Tell Me If It's Possible?

[Aquascaper]

Ok, a quick Google on the Top Fin 60 shows it's a pretty standard HOB filter with the water coming in from the middle at the bottom(?) then flowing upwards to the left and right before overflowing back into the tank. A picture of the inside would help a lot

In that case fill the bottom of the chambers on the left and right with ceramics (about half full) then cut some sponge to size and place on top of the ceramics. If it doesn't already have one try and put a sponge in the inlet to reduce the amount of cleaning needed of the ceramics & sponges in the main filter. If the water doesn't enter at the bottom see if you can attach a small piece of tube to where the water enters so that it does.

They are rated at 300gph so along with the penguin 350 it's just enough for the tank but that's a lot of equipment clutter on/in the tank for very little result. I personally would look to ditch the lot and get an external.

 

[BigN_187]

That sounds about right for the top fin, yeah. So just to confirm, for that one, I want to "stack" the media, with ceramics(bio) on the bottom, filling the chambers half way with it, and then the sponges on top of that for mech filtration?

As for the penguin, I'm still a little confused on the flow of that one, because the flow is a little more complex. It dowsnt "overflow" into the chambers like the top fin. There are two holes on the right and left side of where the impeller of the intake tube is housed, and it flows out of those, if I'm making any sense at all.

 

[Aquascaper]

You're correct on the Top Fin layout. Someone may point out that you should have mechanical filtration before the biological but in this case it would make maintenance a nightmare and will just mean when it comes to cleaning the sponges you would give the ceramics a jumble about before turning back on so any trapped debris will flow into the sponges for the next cleaning.

As for the Penguin, as its a biowheel which are notorious for stopping turning and the bacteria drying out and dying on the exposed wheel when the thing gets clogged up I would leave that one alone. Without seeing it firsthand I wouldn't be able to offer any advice on modifying it without potentially causing it to stop working.

 

[BigN_187]

I think if I arrange the media the way we agreed on, the water would overflow on to the top of the sponges first, then down to the ceramic, therefore utilizing the sponges as pre-bio mechanical filtration.

If not, I have another idea for that one. There are two spots (where the water overflows into the chambers) where I could put two small sponges. If I do that, I could potentially fit even more bio media into the chambers.

Ill try to get photos of the penguin up in a little while, I'm working on getting my internet back up currently (I'm posting this off of my phone).

Oh yeah, and about your previous suggestion, I do intend to get a "real" canister filter or something similar soon, I'm just not able to at the moment.

 

[BigN_187]

Okay, first of all, sorry for double-posting. Most forums, it's against the rules, but I'm still new here and I don't know how to edit posts, or if you even can.
I finally got my Internet back up, however, I was not able to actually take pictures of the filters just yet. It's 1:30am here so I don't really want to take them out, drain them, etc. right now.

However, I thought of a better, clearer way to explain my concern with the Penguin.

With the top fin, the water gathers above the impeller in a small compartment, then it overflows into the media compartments before overflowing back into the tank. In the top fin, the water spills into the compartments from a fairly high point. Because of this, it's possible to stack media into the compartments in this order, from bottom to top, and achieve pre-biological, mechanical filtration: Ceramics > Fine Sponge > Coarse Sponge.

Since the water technically flows from the top-down, and then back up, it would hit the sponges on top first, removing debris (mechanical filtration) and then it would travel down, flowing over the ceramics (biological filtration) and finally overflowing back up, into the tank.

Now the penguin basically works the same way. The water over flows into the sides into the compartments, the compartments fill, and then water spill into the tank. The problem is, the holes where the water spills into the compartments are further down in the filter housing. Probably halfway down, which you said is the point I should fill the ceramics to.
So if I arrange the media the same as in the top fin (ceramics>fine sponge>coarse sponge, bottom-to-top) I would probably only be able to put in half as much ceramics, in order to still be able to place the sponges on top of them to act as mechanical filtration.

The other idea I had, is to arrange the media in a side-to-side fashion in each compartment like this:

Ceramics<Fine Sponge<Coarse Sponge<WATER>Coarse Sponge>Fine Sponge>Ceramics

If that makes sense.

I wouldn't have a problem doing that, if it would work, but I would also need to use mesh bags for the ceramics, so they wouldn't fall to the bottom of the compartments when I take the sponges out for cleaning.
Anyway, I'm sure I'm annoying everyone with my long, drawn out explanations now, so this is all ill say. If you have any suggestions, I would appreciate your advice. If you now hate me, and don't want to post another response, I understand and respect that too I can probably figure it out on my own if I try hard enough.

Oh, and one last thing: I've never had any problems with the bio wheels stopping. I occasionally take them out (very very briefly) and wipe off the pins that turn. The only way I see this "mod" (if you want to call it that) causing problems there is if the sponges or bags are too big, and jam the wheels, since the water flow itself is what makes them turn. But that can be prevented by taking careful measurements and whatnot.

 

[Aquascaper]

All sounds good, you'll know better then anyone as you can see the water flowing, etc. As long as water flows past/through each media type then it will work fine.

Very regular maintenance needs to be done on the biowheel as if it stops turning and dries out you lose about 80% of the bacterial colony....just a heads up.

 

[BigN_187]

All sounds good, you'll know better then anyone as you can see the water flowing, etc. As long as water flows past/through each media type then it will work fine.

Very regular maintenance needs to be done on the biowheel as if it stops turning and dries out you lose about 80% of the bacterial colony....just a heads up.

Yeah, I remember posting somewhere online when I was deciding on a filter, asking which one I should get. Lots of people warned me about that, so I've been very careful ever since.
I really believe that I have just one last question now, lol. And it's about the media again. I was looking at the sponges we discussed, and I just thought, what if the sponges are too "sturdy", and the water doesn't flow down through them?
I really don't want to have to start another pretentious thread like this after the fact, so I just thought I'd get a contingency nailed down now. Are there different grades of sponges, in terms of coarseness or thickness? Or is it just "Coarse" and "Fine"? Would I possibly be able to cut them thinner if there's a problem? Just checking, haha. Thanks, one more time, for all the advice and help. I really really appreciate it.

 

[Aquascaper]

There are different grades ranging from coarse to fine (large pores to small pores) and, as it's only sponge, can be cut, etc. with ease.