Boosting Any HOB Filters Performance

[Fish Eat Fish]

It seems one could make a simple HOB much more effective by simply adding an air stone to create an oxygenated environment in the media area. This could be done by simply placing an air stone under the media with the hose running up the side or drilling a hole in the bottom and attaching the stone permanently.

I will be trying this soon with two AC110s

What do the good people at MFK think?

 

[Toby_H]

I think typical aquarium water has plenty of oxygen to allow bacteria to thrive and supplimenting with additional oxygen, while in theory better, is not at all beneficial.

The test would be to find a situation where it has been proven that not enough bacteria can colonize a tank to accomodate a bioload... then add the air stone to the media and see if ammonia/nitrite oxidzation improves...

I do believe in that situation it would work... but unless the set up without air cannot oxidize a bio load, the added airstone isn't in any way needed, therefore it's not really beneficial.

 

[nes999]

I think typical aquarium water has plenty of oxygen to allow bacteria to thrive and supplimenting with additional oxygen, while in theory better, is not at all beneficial.

The test would be to find a situation where it has been proven that not enough bacteria can colonize a tank to accomodate a bioload... then add the air stone to the media and see if ammonia/nitrite oxidzation improves...

I do believe in that situation it would work... but unless the set up without air cannot oxidize a bio load, the added airstone isn't in any way needed, therefore it's not really beneficial.

exactly what i was going to say

 

[flipstylex]

^same

 

[stevenrox]

^ditto

 

[Fish Eat Fish]

Then what purpose is a bio wheel (never been a fan myself) other than to create annoying squeaking sounds.

In essence it would turn the filter into a mini wet/dry. If there is no advantage to this then there would be no advantage to a standard wet/dry which I think we can all agree is not the case.

 

[BigO6687]

i think he means that if your ammonia and nitrate are already at zero it would be pointless

 

[Fish Eat Fish]

i think he means that if your ammonia and nitrate are already at zero it would be pointless

True although if it is effective then the same HOB filter could be used for a larger bioload which would be advantageous.

 

[Toby_H]

In essence it would turn the filter into a mini wet/dry. If there is no advantage to this then there would be no advantage to a standard wet/dry which I think we can all agree is not the case.

I've kept Cichlids for over 20 years... I've kept as much as 1,500 gallons of tanks at one time...

I've never once had a tank that needed a wet/dry filter... I've never once had a tank that needed bio media to provide sufficient surface area to colonize bacteria... I've never once had a mature (cycled) tank that couldn't oxidize ammonia into nitrate without wet/dry or bio media...

This hobby worked just fine for many many years before any manufacturer every thought of labling something as bio media.

There are a lot of things that have made their way from salt water to freshwater because of some very effective marketing...


I'm not saying that wet/dry filtration doesn't work... I'm saying it's very rare that it's given the chance to work... as it's usually unnecessary even when used...


I will admit that in bare bottom tanks with no decor, using bio media or a wet/dry is most likely required. But if you have substrat and a little decor, agression will limit the stocking of a Cichlid tank long before a lack of surface area would...

 

[BigO6687]

True although if it is effective then the same HOB filter could be used for a larger bioload which would be advantageous.

yup