hybridtheoryd16;3627780; said:
Why don't you think adding a strategically placed Powerhead or two could keep the debris from settling on the bottom?
Cost-Effective 120 Gallon Filtration
- Thread starter Eazy
- Start date
Why don't you think adding a strategically placed Powerhead or two could keep the debris from settling on the bottom?
Alright. I want to start using my own media in the emperor 400's (as opposed to paying $9 a month for some floss with carbon in it that apparently isnt very effective after a few days anyway).
Each 400 has 2 spaces about 5.5" x 8.5" x 3" that I can put media. I'm mainly focused on mechanical filtration. I've already got the bio-wheels for biological. What should I put in there? A type of foam? Sponge? Etc.
Each 400 has 2 spaces about 5.5" x 8.5" x 3" that I can put media. I'm mainly focused on mechanical filtration. I've already got the bio-wheels for biological. What should I put in there? A type of foam? Sponge? Etc.
nc_nutcase;3627791; said:
Only because he said he allready had a 1500gph power head running. And i think if 1500gph worth of directional current can't get it done. Then it needs more flow thru the mechanical media.
Just an opinion not a fact or anything.
Eazy;3628058; said:
Ok get some polyfill from walmart or a craft store. Then put a bunch of that in the gray media basktets that set infront of the cartridges. This does a very good job of removing fine particles. You can wash it out as many times as you like. It will never go bad. But its so cheap I just throw it away.
Then take your cartridges and after the get a few weeks of age on them cut the bottom and pour out the carbon. Then you just spray them off when they get dirty.
I use my sprayer on the kitchen sink. And i have cartidges that are 3-4 yrs old. If the marineland brand cartridges fall apart after a few months, then you can buy knock-offs from ebay that hold up for years.
Or you can buy polyester quilting fabric in 1/4-3/8" thickness and sew that on to the plastic cartridge frames.
Also I never clean my filter media until the water starts to pour over the top of the cratridges. Hence when they clog. I do this because as they fill with dirt they trap smaller and smaller stuff.
hybridtheoryd16;3629242; said:Ok get some polyfill from walmart or a craft store. Then put a bunch of that in the gray media basktets that set infront of the cartridges. This does a very good job of removing fine particles. You can wash it out as many times as you like. It will never go bad. But its so cheap I just throw it away.
Then take your cartridges and after the get a few weeks of age on them cut the bottom and pour out the carbon. Then you just spray them off when they get dirty.
I use my sprayer on the kitchen sink. And i have cartidges that are 3-4 yrs old. If the marineland brand cartridges fall apart after a few months, then you can buy knock-offs from ebay that hold up for years.
Or you can buy polyester quilting fabric in 1/4-3/8" thickness and sew that on to the plastic cartridge frames.
Also I never clean my filter media until the water starts to pour over the top of the cratridges. Hence when they clog. I do this because as they fill with dirt they trap smaller and smaller stuff.
Ive been doing this with mine but the damn media baskets have slots to hold carbon uniform so its hard to get the poly fil consistently laid in there. But when I do its the cheapest most effective fine particle filtration ive seen in an HOB ill give them that much
Also I rinse the cartridges once a week and they last about 2 months or so. Not bad. 
I got some stuff similar to polyfill at my LFS. It cost me less than $2 to fill all 4 media baskets. Thanks guys.
tcarswell;3629415; said:Ive been doing this with mine but the damn media baskets have slots to hold carbon uniform so its hard to get the poly fil consistently laid in there. But when I do its the cheapest most effective fine particle filtration ive seen in an HOB ill give them that much
Yea I have heard that marineland's brand cartridges now fall apart after a few washings. Engineered to fail so that you will buy more. Aquaria is big money when you can keep customers coming back again and again.
I haven't bought any in years but they still sell the knock offs on ebay that I use and they last for ever.
Try them out next time and see what you think.
On an unrelated note, does anyone know a place that sells nice stands for cheap? My stand isn't level anymore.
bitteraspects;3624995; said:
True, which is why I cut my own filter floss from bulk stock and use no carbon unless there's a definitive reason to. In this case, rinse and repeat is absolutely fine ime.
