I have two H.M.'s. The first one, from listening to the first "expert" and just buying it. The second one was for a much smaller tank and used it for micron filtration only. Now that I only have a fresh 55 up, now, I decided to try messin with stuff. I used some tubing and hooked each Magnum up a back corner undergravel outlet. They're both full of lava rocks. I also made a spray bar for one of them that extends from back to front. I just use the stock outgoing attatchment for the other one. Just to see what the difference is, I put the rocks in the 'carbon' holder with the foam cover in one, and just filled the other with rocks, (other than the middle shaft). What do you guys think??? Please let me know your suggestions on this fun little project.
What do you guys think of my filtration setup??
- Thread starter Fabio's Dad
- Start date
Oh, yeah. I forgot to mention that one of my goals was to eliminate that toxic sespool that a standard undergravel filter creates. When I decide to clean the gravel with the vac, I no longer worry if I'm actually pulling crap up into the fish's habitat.
Fabio's Dad;640278; said:
Fabio's Dad;640282; said:
I think I maybe slow this A.M.
These are hooked up to a UGF?
No other filter media other than 'rocks'?
Dr Joe
.
If I were you, I would ditch the undergravel plate, just run the two Magnums and get a pro kit so you can get a biowheel running as well.
If you want to eliminate the "toxic sespool" that the Ug filter creates then eliminate the ug filter. I would say you are just making more waste collected in the gravel by pulling more water through it. You need to eliminate the waste before it goes into the gravel. Best bet do as RM suggested and go with the bio wheel and use the filter as it was designed, not sure what your trying to do with the lava rock.
Lava rock has a lot of surface area. The reason I'm still using the ugf, is that I have breeding sailfin mollies. If I miss the fry, I know they won't get sucked up into the filter. The gravel is a great filter that's easy to clean and I don't need to replace it.
Fabio's Dad;648106; said:
OK, ditch the UGF and the canisters and get sponge filters!
And send me some big sailfins please
regarding the lava rock, unless it is in small particles(1/8-1/4") which could be compacted into the "carbon holder" I dought it would work very well. With larger rocks the water will just flow through the voids between the rocks and not be filtered.
Perhaps I'll put some of those scrubby things in them. I already had the Hot magniums, so I thought I'd see what I could do to keep the ugf and still use the H.M.'s without the whole carbon thing. I can also sticks the micron filter in whenever I want, this way.
Pot scrubbers aren't the best for submersed media. Buy some Seachem Matrix or Eheim Substrat Pro. Skip the lava rock too, not worth the hassle. Submersed media is at a major disadvantage when it comes to oxygen, so ya need a media with alot of surface area and a low tendency to clog up.