HOT MAGNUM

[northwindtucker]

I have a 55g with a penguin 350 and an emperor 280. They do a nice job but I found a hot mag on a clearance rack for $20. I couldn't pass it up. It was missing the micron cartridge and the micron core. I contacted marineland and they sent me the core and a case of micron cartridges(a dozen!!!!!) at no charge. Those things are like 8 bucks a hit. My question is should I use the micron cartidge all the time? When one gets plugged, put in another while I clean the first one? Then keep rotating them? They clean up very well. Or use the media basket filled with seachem matrix and use the micron occasionally?
I have 3 red hook silverdollars (8"), 1 spotted silver dollar (5"), a bushynose plec and 6 cories. They don't seem to mind the current at all.

 

[brianjh]

i wouldnt use the micron all the time, you should see an immediate difference as soon as you use it. within 3-4 hours the water will be well polished. you have 2 options after this, shut down the magnum, remove filter, rinse, re-assemble and use again when needed, repeat... or there are other media options that you have with the HOT, so you could use it all the time and polish as needed by switching out media.

 

[Dr_Shakalu]

I use the micron only when needed to polish the water. Usually when I do a water change, I put in the micron cartridge to get rid of everything floating around after vacuuming the gravel. The micron cartridge doesn't allow the benefits of using carbon or whatever you may use to keep beneficial bacteria. It basically just filters particles out of the water. After the water change, I leave the micron in for about 1 day. Then I take it out and replace it with the carbon cartridge and floss that goes around the cartridge. I clean the micron by soaking it in hot water and bleach. Remember to completely wash out the bleach. Let dry and you're set to go the next time. Before I use it again, I soak it in water and add some water conditioner just to take out any chlorine the bleach might have left. The Doctor.

 

[northwindtucker]

I was thinking about the carbon but thought it might be counter productive to the peat I use. Is it or does carbon only remove the color of the peat? I do a 25% water change twice a week. So I use the micron alot. If I use matrix, how do I keep the beneficial bacteria alive while the micron is in use?
Doctor- Great idea doing a second soak in the water conditioner.

 

[elevatethis]

I started out using the micron but have since switched over to running the regular media sponge all the time, and it has worked very well. I don't think that it contains anywhere near the media capacity that other HOBs or canisters have, but it is good for circulation and filtration on a lightly stocked tank.

It is very effective when used as a polisher, though, as the posters said above.