Lets talk Bio-media and Bio-filtration

[Finthusiast]

So what should I use in these refillable cartridges? That rocksor has mentioned?

Edit: I know there are tons that work but what do you suggest for my 75 gallon tank that will have just one fish in it for now?

also will be adding plants later to help filter the water. I still gotta research more about that process as well lol. I appreciate the help sorry if I am making it more complicated than it is lol...

 

[duanes]

I like cartridges for HOB filters, but contrary to some, I just rinse them out once twice per week, as opposed to constantly replacing them.
I only replace them after they fall apart , from a lot of rinsing.
Plants may or may not work with uropthlmus, I can't remember if mine tore them up or not.
If you want plants, and the cichlid doesn't tolerate them, you could use your 10 gal, as a planted sump or refugium for the 75.
This is what I have done with 20 gal tanks I get for a buck or 2, or find by the road side after people have killed all their fish..

 

[BIG-G]

So what should I use in these refillable cartridges?

I use a couple marine land filters including the emperor.
I recommend that you buy a two inch thick foam block and cut it to fit.
You can find them on line.
It makes excellent mechanical and eventually biological.
You just rinse and squeeze it out when needed and put it back.
This is what I use, best upgrade you can do for this type filter IMO.

 

[Finthusiast]

Woohoo! Lol, I appreciate the link! Ill use this as mechanical media and use lava rock as biomedia in my emperor 400

Question: should I buy the more coarse “20ppi” blue one or will I have enough flow with the black “40ppi” foam?

 

[Rocksor]

Woohoo! Lol, I appreciate the link! Ill use this as mechanical media and use lava rock as biomedia in my emperor 400

Question: should I buy the more coarse “20ppi” blue one or will I have enough flow with the black “40ppi” foam?

The smaller will clog up sooner, so you need to rinse that more often.

 

[Finthusiast]

Ok I went with the green one “30 ppi” just to make sure to have enough flowage. Thanks for all the help!