Types Of Filter Media

[Timmy_Bee]

Hi,

Over the weekend i set up my new (2nd hand) fluval 305. At the mo, it has a mix between old (dead) sponge and stuff from my old filter, so i won't be changing anything until i am confident the filter has matured a bit, but i was wondering if people prefer bio-balls to sponge media, or are there any other types out there that are better?

Sorry if this question has been posted before (im sure it probably has) but i couldn't find a good topic in a quick search

 

[Skins]

Hi T_B,
Why not use both, you'll have plenty of space.

Skins.

 

[Timmy_Bee]

At the mo every hole is full of sponge, but its not spitting out much water. I was mainly wondering if bio-balls would mean i could keep a full canister, but not have such a decreased flow?

 

[Skins]

I only fill the compartments 2/3 full.
This is how mine is setup:
4sponges
Bottom/mid baskets= biomax
top basket= biomax + polishing pads

Been running for 3months and flow rate seems ok for now.

 

[Timmy_Bee]

are the 4 sponges in the side compartment? (the vertical slot)

 

[Skins]

Yes

 

[Timmy_Bee]

well this eve is going to be fun - re-jigging the filter every 5 mins...
Out of curiosity, do you have the outlet under the water surface, or do you have a 'waterfall' kind of setup?
At the mo, i am also using the powerhead from the old internal filter to aggitate the water, but hopefully i will be able to get rid of this if i can sort out the filter flow.

 

[Skins]

well this eve is going to be fun - re-jigging the filter every 5 mins...
Out of curiosity, do you have the outlet under the water surface, or do you have a 'waterfall' kind of setup?
At the mo, i am also using the powerhead from the old internal filter to aggitate the water, but hopefully i will be able to get rid of this if i can sort out the filter flow.

Mine is about 2inches below the waters surface, i'm also using a tetra aps 300 air pump.

 

[Timmy_Bee]

and do you angle it up so it hits the surface?

Also, is your air pump noisy? im havlf thinking about getting one, but only if it is silent

 

[Skins]

The outlet nozzle is pointing at a straight angle and as for the air pump if its out the way you don't really notice it.

Skins.

 

[the biffster]

alfa grogga very good filter media
it As high surface area and its cheap

 

[Timmy_Bee]

is that like the stuff you get in a BiOrb?

 

[the biffster]

is that like the stuff you get in a BiOrb?

yes its like that i used to buy it in 15 kg
bags i used to use it in all sorts of filters

 

[KittyKat]

At the mo every hole is full of sponge, but its not spitting out much water. I was mainly wondering if bio-balls would mean i could keep a full canister, but not have such a decreased flow?

Hey! I managed to have two of the baskets full of other media too along side all those sponges! As you are thinking about changing the media, I would recommend the following: keep the pre-filter (vertical sponges), in the bottom basket have noodles or the plastic balls, in the top two have porous "bio" media and a thin layer of fine sponge (wool) at the top of the topmost basket (and then the basket cover).. the only downside there is that you'll have to clean the pre-filter and wool quite often.

 

[Timmy_Bee]

i left in all the sponge that you had in, but also trew in all the sponge from my juwel internal to seed it...
But yeah, im liking the look of the 'non-sponge' type meadia