Bio filter and media "flow"

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HoundsNTrout

HoundsNTrout

Exodon
MFK Member
Feb 26, 2016
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Tug Hill NY
www.adirondackkennel.com
Kind of an oddball question but here goes.

I use home made 20 Gallon bio filters with "lava rocks' as my media with a foam pad on top to catch any tiny particles that are not caught in my particulate filter. Both are changed 2X daily ( not the media just the top foam)

So lately its been getting 'clogged' of sorts, or possibly actual bacteria ( but doubtful since its cleaned so often ).
Anyway the totes are filling with water and over flowing. SO I took the foam deal out and now the water sprays over the lava rocks and really pours out nicely into the tank also helping more with water flow and aeration.

QUESTION. ( yeah I know I have adhd ) does the media have to be submersed or can it just be soaked all the time ? I have dug down into the filter and found the water line is only 2 or so inches from the bottom.

Will bacteria grow in the areas where its not suspended in water? If not, I'll have to make the outlet a little smaller which will take away from flow rate.

Quick background. I raise trout in 300G IBC totes, recycled system with 20G bio filters on top of totes.

Thanks.
 
HoundsNTrout said:
Kind of an oddball question but here goes.

I use home made 20 Gallon bio filters with "lava rocks' as my media with a foam pad on top to catch any tiny particles that are not caught in my particulate filter. Both are changed 2X daily ( not the media just the top foam)

So lately its been getting 'clogged' of sorts, or possibly actual bacteria ( but doubtful since its cleaned so often ).
Anyway the totes are filling with water and over flowing. SO I took the foam deal out and now the water sprays over the lava rocks and really pours out nicely into the tank also helping more with water flow and aeration.

QUESTION. ( yeah I know I have adhd ) does the media have to be submersed or can it just be soaked all the time ? I have dug down into the filter and found the water line is only 2 or so inches from the bottom.

Will bacteria grow in the areas where its not suspended in water? If not, I'll have to make the outlet a little smaller which will take away from flow rate.

Quick background. I raise trout in 300G IBC totes, recycled system with 20G bio filters on top of totes.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
you will still get bacterial growth on the media that is consistently wet, albeit maybe not as thorough as media that is completely submerged. I use the exact same setup you do, lava rock and all.
 
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Its a double edged sword sort of. Bio tank doesn't fill completely with water and the water turn over is real nice OR stick something in the outlet and it fills or over fills and has little outlet but the bio tank is submerged.

I think I may actually add a larger bio filter 55G with tons of lava rocks and a slightly larger pump. Current pump is 300GPH.
Maybe go with a 600GPH pump and slightly larger outlet.

IDK.

All I DO know is 1000 6 inch trout will produce 5ppm ammonia and nitrites over night. LOL
Current bio filter is barely taking care of that. It IS but barely. Had a slight rise in nitrites to .25 the other day. And this was with the non submerged. Is why I ask my question.

Thanks.
 
So. I think I figured this out. I am going to put Two much larger ball valves and outlet than is needed. That way I can cater to what may go on in terms of small particles "clogging' or hopefully no clogging. I will set it so the inlet equals the outlet after the tote or bio filter is filled with water.
The key will be larger ball valves so in case it starts over filling I can slightly open the valves.

In the past I had other media in there such as scrubby pad material, old sheets, etc. that was causing clogging. So now its gonna be filled with lava rocks only and larger ball valves at the exit.

I'll get some video when I finish tonight.

Thanks folks.
 
HoundsNTrout said:
So. I think I figured this out. I am going to put Two much larger ball valves and outlet than is needed. That way I can cater to what may go on in terms of small particles "clogging' or hopefully no clogging. I will set it so the inlet equals the outlet after the tote or bio filter is filled with water.
The key will be larger ball valves so in case it starts over filling I can slightly open the valves.

In the past I had other media in there such as scrubby pad material, old sheets, etc. that was causing clogging. So now its gonna be filled with lava rocks only and larger ball valves at the exit.

I'll get some video when I finish tonight.

Thanks folks.
Click to expand...
is this an AP setup or just farming trout for consumption?
 
Also in relation to your filter setup, I've never had lava rock in any of my tanks clog up with debris. My 310 is setup like your tank, with a lavarock/filter floss basket more or less, and my canisters on my other tanks are filled with lava rock, no issues at all with it jamming up.
 
Hmm, so possibly mine is not actually clogging but rather the inlet is not equaling the outlet or whatever. This is why I'm going to try the ball valves, 1 1/4" probably.
But before as I mentioned in my filter media I had old blanket, river rocks, screen material all tied up in 'balls', etc. and that would definitely 'clog' or the tote would fill up and start going over the top. Not good. lol
I think my newest idea should help with just lava rocks, nothing else in there and adjustable ball valves so I can get it just right where they are just barely covered with water on the top.

I am taking 700 fish out of one tank and going to "fix" the bio filter the new way, let it run for a day, do a water test, then put those fish back in and then do the other tank.

For particulates I just have pumps with 100micron sock filters hanging on poles, cleaned 2X a day. But I may try adding some sort of skimmers if anybody knows what I can use for DIY clarifiers if you will? It isn't horrible right now but could stand to be slightly less "cloudy" within the hours after feeding 1000 fish.
 
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