What to fill a canister filter

[Kuda]

Lava rock. 3 bucks for a 40 lb bag. at the homodepot. Its the cheapest alternative media your going to fine and works just as well. They keep it in the garden department by the plants.

Nylon Pot Scrubber I filled my one with Bio balls cost £££££££££££ then found out about these Have a Surface Area/cu.ft. of 370 compared to Bio-Pin Balls of 130 Approx. Cost/cu.ft. $ 10.00-12.00 Bio balls $ 30.00

both are faboulous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[stotty]

Hi stotty,

Thanks for the link (and PM). I take it that not you but the owner of that website on ponds has used pot scrubbers.

It's for sure an interesting read. The main argument that comes to my mind is that this site is for pond filters. He does not specify the type of filter he uses, but I think it is safe to assume it's not a typical canister filter. It bet it is more like a barrel or something, I have no clue if it is an external filter or a submerged filter. Maybe it's an external wet/dry with water recirculating as a waterfall or something. Thus, it is hard to say if an extrapolation to a home aquarium canister filter is legitimate.

The clogging of pores in sintered glass media is not that big of a problem in aquarium canister filters as it maybe is in ponds. A clogged pore means that biofiltration turns anaerobic in certain areas. I am fine with that. Anaerobic bacteria break down nitrates and release gaseous nitrogen dissolved in water. It's the underlying principle of denitrators. Anthing that helps me in reducing nitrates is my friend

Again, if space doesn't matter (as might be the case for pond filters, I don't know), I think bioballs and pot scrubbers are great, cheap media.


skillzdatkillz, I will change the title of your thread from "Eheim 2260" to "canister filter". I know some guys here use more diverse brands of biomedia, but they may overread your thread because you asked brand specific. I know Ducati wouldn't touch this thread with a 10 ft pole Maybe we can get him involved with this little trick. If you oppose just send me a PM and I'll change it back into your original title.

Again, stotty, thanks for the link.

HarleyK

You are right it is for pond filter but i run a 2260 these are large canisters (as you know) and as it happen i have seen people run small filter on ponds. I think the 2260 runs 1900l/h thanks again for the feedback

 

[hillbilly]

"Matrix" by SeaChem is a very good media. I use "Pond Matrix" which is much larger than Matrix for my wet-dry. Regular Matrix would be great in a canister. It can be purchased rather cheaply.