I Removed The Carbon, Now What?

[killakarma]

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i have a aquaclear 500 and a fluval 204 inside of my 60 gal hex. both filters had carbon in them. im trying to get a biofilter without the need for carbon. i need step by step instructions wat kind of media to use in each filter, also in wat order to put them in. right now in my ac500 i removed the carbon and ammonia bags and replaced it with a bag of balled up fishing string with a untyed pot scrubber inside a filter bag. i kept the sponge it came with. inside the fuval 204 in the bottom basket i used a flat green abrasive pot scrubber as the first layer then two potsrubber balls. on top of that i used a bag of crshed sea shells and this crushed white mock coral stuff that was extra from a salt water tank. i put the rock/shell mix inside a filter bag. the next top basket i used this fake plastic breeding grass. i removed them from there plastic anchor piece, and was left with these little bulbs. i stuffed them into the basket. the last one on top i put ceramic noodle things the filter came with. i also kept the sponge that it came with in the same spot. im trying to be economic and creative, but i dont really know what im doing. if theres a better way or i did something wrong i need to know. i want clear polished water without the need of chemicals. im open to opinions from more experienced cichlid addicts. please go in depth if possible i want the filters run efficiently as possible.the only way that will happen is with your help. thank you so much-young karma

 

[killakarma]

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i have a aquaclear 500 and a fluval 204 inside of my 60 gal hex. both filters had carbon in them. im trying to get a biofilter without the need for carbon. i need step by step instructions wat kind of media to use in each filter, also in wat order to put them in. right now in my ac500 i removed the carbon and ammonia bags and replaced it with a bag of balled up fishing string with a untyed pot scrubber inside a filter bag. i kept the sponge it came with. inside the fuval 204 in the bottom basket i used a flat green abrasive pot scrubber as the first layer then two potsrubber balls. on top of that i used a bag of crshed sea shells and this crushed white mock coral stuff that was extra from a salt water tank. i put the rock/shell mix inside a filter bag. the next top basket i used this fake plastic breeding grass. i removed them from there plastic anchor piece, and was left with these little bulbs. i stuffed them into the basket. the last one on top i put ceramic noodle things the filter came with. i also kept the sponge that it came with in the same spot. im trying to be economic and creative, but i dont really know what im doing. if theres a better way or i did something wrong i need to know. i want clear polished water without the need of chemicals. im open to opinions from more experienced cichlid addicts. please go in depth if possible i want the filters run efficiently as possible.the only way that will happen is with your help. thank you so much-young karma

 

[killakarma]

so helpful..... so enlightening....<------sarcasm

 

[killakarma]

man this site really has alot to say......... thanks for thhe help ....ideas....opinions..... anyone.........?

 

[Egmel]

Right before we start, I'm a newbie so take anything I say with a very large pinch of salt.

i have a aquaclear 500 and a fluval 204 inside of my 60 gal hex. both filters had carbon in them. im trying to get a biofilter without the need for carbon.

Carbon isn't part of a bio-filter it's a chemical filter, mainly used for removing medication and trace elements which some aquatic plants need.

i need step by step instructions wat kind of media to use in each filter, also in wat order to put them in. right now in my ac500 i removed the carbon and ammonia bags and replaced it with a bag of balled up fishing string with a untyed pot scrubber inside a filter bag. i kept the sponge it came with.

Your filter will require some form of mechanical filtration, a coarse sponge would work or if the pot scrubber ball is what I think it is (a kind of plastic mesh) then that would do too, this will pick up all the bits of crud that would block up the other layers too quickly. It should also store Bacteria for bio filtration.

inside the fuval 204 in the bottom basket i used a flat green abrasive pot scrubber as the first layer then two potsrubber balls.

You may find the green scrubber is too fine to be the first stage of filtration, it may get clogged up too quickly.

on top of that i used a bag of crshed sea shells and this crushed white mock coral stuff that was extra from a salt water tank. i put the rock/shell mix inside a filter bag.

I'm assuming you're trying to raise the hardness/PH of your water as that's what I think shoving a load of calcium in your filter will do.

the next top basket i used this fake plastic breeding grass. i removed them from there plastic anchor piece, and was left with these little bulbs. i stuffed them into the basket. the last one on top i put ceramic noodle things the filter came with. i also kept the sponge that it came with in the same spot.

Ahh the noodles, these are your biological filtration, these will store all the good bacteria.

im trying to be economic and creative, but i dont really know what im doing. if theres a better way or i did something wrong i need to know. i want clear polished water without the need of chemicals. im open to opinions from more experienced cichlid addicts. please go in depth if possible i want the filters run efficiently as possible.the only way that will happen is with your help. thank you so much-young karma

This sounds more like a DIY project than a Hardware question, have you searched the DIY forum for info about home made filter media. I know they have a pinned article on how to make a 5 min filter.

If it's information pertaining specifically to chichlids that you're after then maybe the chichlid forum would be a better bet.

One final piece of advice; being sarcastic and getting angry at people because they haven't replied doesn't help your cause. I found your post quite difficult to read and comprehend, next time try to break it up a little (as I have done in replying) and try to separate out individual problems and queries.

 

[killakarma]

sorry about that im new to posting on forums. and i wasnt angry i was just joking. i justt needed some opinions and advice and i got them. thanks for responding. u were very helpful-young karma

 

[Egmel]

sorry about that im new to posting on forums. and i wasnt angry i was just joking. i justt needed some opinions and advice and i got them. thanks for responding. u were very helpful-young karma

ok, good luck with your tank.