Aquaclear hob media order matter?

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koh the face stealer

koh the face stealer

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jun 12, 2011
365
1
33
Arizona
I recently realized I've put the media in my 55 gallons aquaclear 110 in out of the manufacturers suggested order. They sponge on bottom then the carbon on top of the sponge and the bio media on top of it all. I have the bio media on top of the sponge and the carbon on top of the bio media. This tank has been running with no chemistry problems so I'm assuming it doesn't matter. But does the bio media at the top make a difference? Another question why is the media holder floating? Shouldn't it be stuck down? I have other aquaclears and inside those they don't float.

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If it's floating the sponge is dirty. Bio should be last so that it receives the cleanest water but as long as the sponge is first you're fine.
 
Correct
 
IMO the sponge should be frequently well cleaned in hot tap water. The bio media is designed to be colonized by the benificial bacteria. Frequent cleanings will not allow the BB to grow on the sponge and the bio media colony will grow stronger. This has worked quite well for myself over the last 6-7 years.

BTW the bio media should only be rinsed with tank water. The carbon should only be used to remove meds, as long as you are doing regular water changes.
 
So typically carbon is unnecessary and I could just double up on bio media all around in all my hobs?

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I had a 110 gallon with 5 piranhas and a large pleco and all I ever ran in the 2 110's I had was sponges and my water was crystal clear without any water issues at all in the 2+ years I had it setup. I put 2 sponges in each 110 and then I would rotate the cleaning of the sponges when I did water changes. They would all get cleaned in tank water during the water changes but once they started to get really dirty, I would clean them in scalding hot water - but only one at a time. For example, during one water change only one would get the hot water cleaning - the other 3 in tank water only. Then in the next water change, another one would get the hot water cleaning and the other 3 in tank water, etc. etc.
 
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