Beginners Guide to Filter Media

[fsc46]

Also, why use bioballs? They have 1/2-1/3 the surface area of pot scrubbies.

I use both in my sump and notice that the scrubbies clog where as the bioballs don't. Amonia and nitrites are zero.

My sump uses a drip tray and I put the blue filter floss (just like the stuff used in a canister) over it. It removes the large waste but doesn't polish the water. I need to find a simple way to polish the water so that i can remove my HOT filter.

 

[Bosa]

I just finished building my w/d sump, I filled up my bio chamber with bio-balls and still have about 1/3 of the space left, from reading this thread it would be a good idea to fill the rest of the space up with pot scrubbies right? and toss in a box of ehfisubsrat pro only because I got some extras from my canister???

 

[toadhermit]

I have heard that all that is needed is bio balls, and nothing else. True?

 

[Star-Flog]

Unless you have a huge sump, only bio-ball will not be enough.

 

[fsc46]

I have heard that all that is needed is bio balls, and nothing else. True?

My sump mostly has bio-balls. I ran out so I added pot scrubbers because it's cheap. I clean out the scrubbers with every water change but now I'm wondering if I need to. The stuff I'm rinsing out might be the gunk that contains the beneficial bacteria. I'm going to skip the rinse the next time and test my water.

 

[kfjethro]

I think I'm going to have to try some felt. If you soak the felt and no dye leaches into the water are you safe to use it in the tank or are there some non-visible by-products of the dye-ing process ? Thanks.

 

[tchizzle]

Just to inform you guys,
http://arowanaclub.com/ClubArticles/MyTank/Part3SUMP.htm

that article is very helpful too.

 

[geeimatree]

how did you figure out the surface area?
does it just say it on the box?

 

[WalterMelon]

Polyfil is probably one of the best filtration medias IMHO. I had a 3' foot long, 3" PVC pipe full of it for a filter on a turtle tank with 3 RES and 2 Western Painted turtles, the water was pretty much crystal clear.

 

[gangster]

Im running an fx5 and a penguin 350 on my 120gallon...stock is 14'' fl gar, 6 bichirs (all around 8"), 9'' common pleco, 2 kissing gourami's and 2 raphael cats. I do w/c's 2x a week. In my bottom basket I have a fine pol. pad and ceramic rings on top of that. THe second bag has another fine polishing bad and carbon on top of that. Then the third tray has 3 coarse pollishing pads in it(blue pads). I have some ammonia remover and zero carb in boxes and havent used it still. HOW should I change this canister media....or should I keep it the way it is?