filter sock or a tote full of filter floss.

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Maintenance in this hobby is already time consuming enough, I really don't feel like cleaning socks. It is so much easier to throw out the fouled floss, just find a source for bulk rolls, I replace my pads twice a week. I also have high gph flowing through my mechanical, so I think using socks would be a nightmare in terms of cleaning. That, plus my sump design currently won't allow for them, but I got another sump that would, would be lower gph so maybe I'll try them out.
 
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I think this might work. I can weld in a shelf to support it. A 3 drawer 12x15 size. I think the bottom shelf might need to be built from acrylic fiberglass , to hold a bulk head fitting. Or 3" pvc drain into the w/d sump. That would fit under it.
What do you think.
The tank in the fore ground, might become a sump, still thinking about it as a hospital tank.
 
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Poly floss filter box. The egg crate will slide out , if all goes to plan.

The cut out will have a cover plate.
Mostly concerned about how much noise it will make.
 
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It is bigger than I need, In 24 hours it plugs a 8"x 4" section of poly pad. I have been using a 4 layer thickness and rinsing it out daily.
The black is "trampoline fabric" is experimental . I would like to try some stainless fine mesh, To sluice out the big stuff, and keep it from releasing nutrients into the water.
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The eternal gravel vac. The overflow needs a little help in the back corner. With 25 fish moving around and 600 gph flow. I turkey baster around the heavier solids. I got tired of gravel vacuuming. As it needed it daily.
The substrate is 1/4" deep fine beach sand.
Any fine sediments generally are taken out with the 600gph flow. The plastic habitat works well for waste control as it channels the flow towards the air lift. It has been working well to keep cichlids from killing each other. Male and female mauna with peacocks.


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Then what ever mechanical leaves behind, gets churned up in a 50 Sq in 20 watt LED waterfall algae scrubber.
Typically I do a 35% water change every 1.5 weeks. At 20 ppm nitrate, or if my ORP meter gets below -30mv. It varies a bit depending on how long it has been since the scrubber was harvested. My tap is 12ppm nitrate.
Water changes are done in the basement, by isolating the 55 gallon drums and pumping out and refilling. Takes 30 minutes to dump, and 6:20 to fill. The dump water is used for irrigation.
 
I have since switch to filters sock for ease of maintenance.
 
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