Your Favorite AquaClear HOB Media Combo?

[JakeH]

I know a ton of people run these, so if you use something other than the usual sponge/carbon/bio or sponge/sponge/bio combinations, speak up. Let's keep this to AQUACLEAR HOB's ONLY! Nothing theoretical please, just what you have personally seen work well. Also, let us know what size AC you are talking about & list media from bottom to top. I'll go first!

AC70
AC sponge/Rena SuperMicro 2-stage pad/polishing floss/Biomax bag

AC50 (w/ AC sponge prefilter)
AC sponge/Rena SuperMicro pad/AC70 Biomax bag

 

[Joey47]

ac70 with double sponge and bio bag
ac110 with double sponge

 

[csnmusic02]

2 ac110s sponge ac70 carbon and pot scrubbies.

 

[JakeH]

Come on! I know you dont ALL use the standard media... Sound off! Pot scrubbies are an interesting idea. I'm always experimenting to get as many different types of surfaces as I can in order to house as many different bacterium species as I can. I read somewhere that each new surface type you add will (roughly) quadruple the # of BB species in your biomedia, but the small size of the HOBs is making it tough to find new textures...

 

[nubz]

i use dacron sheets on the bottom of my hob. then i have a carbon bag then i have some bioballs and then a biowheel

 

[knicks791]

I use one sponge and bio media that comes with it. Would use move bio but its a lit expensive.

 

[Fishdude401]

I don't use the standard media except for the ceramic rings.

I only have 110:
first: filter floss ( very fine )
Second: 2" coarse filter mesh
3rd: Ceramic rings
4th: carbon
5th: 1" wide, 2" tall coarse filter mesh to catch anything before water fall

I need to get more mechanical media so next water change ( 3 weeks or so due to cycling ) i will add more mechanical to both of my 110s.

 

[joedodge]

bio then spongs then pollyfill mating. i run the sponge after the media it seems to put it more directly in the water flow seems to help with bypass

 

[JakeH]

Any filtration advantages to the Dacron sheets, or is it just a space or money saver? I like the sound of that...

 

[JakeH]

I don't use the standard media except for the ceramic rings.

I only have 110:
first: filter floss ( very fine )
Second: 2" coarse filter mesh
3rd: Ceramic rings
4th: carbon
5th: 1" wide, 2" tall coarse filter mesh to catch anything before water fall

I need to get more mechanical media so next water change ( 3 weeks or so due to cycling ) i will add more mechanical to both of my 110s.

So are you saying your floss comes before your coarse sponge? Seems odd...