Empty Chamber In In Tank Filter

[spacebass]

Hi Guys,

I have about a 55 Imperial (UK) gallon tank that has the filter built into one end, it has four sections the top section about 6" deep supplied with about a 2" thickness of floss, a middle section again about 6" deep filled with a lot of bio balls and a bottom section about 8" deep in which there is nothing although water from the tank is sucked into it from the tank through slits in the plastic and I think I could put some filter medium in there. To the side of these three layers is a space about 4' wide that goes the depth of the tank where the pump hangs out.

If I were to buy some cheapo car wash type sponges and wash them well in old tank water would that serve as a useful filter medium?

Any suggestions ?

Thanks in advance.

 

[modernhamlet]

I'd use a series of mechanical filter pads in the bottom section, with coarse foam on the bottom and more fine foam closer to the top. Then do biological in sections 2 and 3, with perhaps some ultra fine filter pads at the very top to polish the water.

 

[Tolak]

Be careful of what type of sponges you get. Some are treated with anti fungals, these will poison your fish. You want to get the cheapest sponges you can find, plain light brown, no colors. Cheap cushion foam works also, the cheapest kind has no fire retardants.

 

[littleimp]

If you want some filter sponge whay don't you pop down to your local pond supply shop, most sell them in a range of coarseness and they ain't expensive.