Improving Topfin 20 Filter

[MyFishKaren]

I was recently linked a video on how to improve a Topfin 10 filter and am going to make improvements on my Topfin 20 filter after I eliminate the ammonia and nitrite from my tank.

Does anyone have any personal experience with improving the Topfin 20 filter? What products did you use? I am going to order supplies for my filter soon, and am curious as to what everyone has used. The products in the video linked below are most likely what I will be ordering. Has anyone used these on their Topfin 20 filter?

Thanks,
MyFishKaren

 

[NickAu]

Hi

I have not modified that brand of filter but I have modified a HOB or 2.

Here I used 2 huge sponges as pre filters and filled the HOB with good media only.

Any tank that has nitrate readings is not cycled properly.

Watch this video

 

[Colin_T]

typo from Nick. should be any tank that has nitrite readings is not cycled properly.

 

[NickAu]

No I meant nitrate

In a properly cycled tank the ammonia is converted to nitrite, the nitrite is converted to nitrate and the nitrate is converted to soluble nitrogen that bubble of or is consumed by plants.

My tanks always read zero for ammonia nitrite and nitrate.

 

[Colin_T]

For anaerobic bacteria to develop in an aquarium you need oxygen deficient water, which simply doesn't occur in most tanks otherwise the fish die. If you have more than 4 inches of gravel then you might get anaerobic bacteria (living in the bottom inch of the substrate) converting nitrates into nitrogen gas but it doesn't happen that often.

If you have a heavily planted tank, the plants will use the ammonia before it can be converted into nitrite. And if there is no nitrite then you don't get nitrate. Plants will also use nitrite and nitrate but ammonia is easier for them to use. Nick's tanks are full of plants so I would assume the plants are using the ammonia and preventing nitrates from occuring

 

[AbbeysDad]

@Colin_T is correct. Before plants (with fish only tank(s)), I tried (and failed) to culture anaerobic bacteria...which is nearly impossible in the highly oxygenated FW aquarium. However, fast growing plants will use ammonia as the N2 source of choice, preventing the conversion to nitrite and nitrate....and as mentioned, some plants will process nitrate, but it's more difficult.

However, in the typical "fully cycled" FW aquarium, the result is nitrates which we remove with other pollutants by routine periodic partial water changes.

Getting back to the post, although you can replace cartridges with foam in some HOB's, as HOB's go, I'm a fan of Hagen (Now Fluval) Aquaclear's as they are designed for sponge and bio-media INSTEAD of cartridges. I have two AC70's (with AC50 impellers) on my 60g and another AC70 on my 37g. And while on the subject, I find that (bio) sponge material is not only great mechanical, but also fantastic bio-media (instead of what's marketed as bio-media). My aforementioned filters are filled with sponge material.