External Filter Options...

[saintkel]

Currently have an external Fluval 205 model. It has 4 trays.

At present it has the filter media which it came pre-packed with, namely:

1 large spongey sheet thing.
4 * drawer compartments (2 drawers have carbon and 2 have the white stone noodle type things)

Does anyone have any advice with regards to what to put in where for maximum effectiveness?
I have read that carbon should be removed if you are adding medical products i.e. whitespot treatment but anybody any tips or possibilities with what you could put in these drawers?

Thanks.

 

[idlefingers]

Depends on what you're going to have in your tank. I fill my filters with 1/3 mechanical ceramic rings and 2/3 biological media (eheim substrat pro) and don't bother with carbon or other chemical filtration (except the odd bit of rowaphos if phosphate's getting high).

 

[saintkel]

In the tank I have, 2 rams ,3 corys, 5 plattys, 6 neons, 8 glowlights and a betta. Oh, and an upside down spotted syno.

Plastic plants and plastic logs/caves on a sand substrate (argos play sand was great as picked up from this site)
Rowaphos looks like a very good product.
Take it I should not have any phosphate issues using RO water and probably will not need this?

 

[idlefingers]

Phosphate comes from fish waste (I think) and so will slowly build and be taken away with water changes but also can be quite present in tap water. If your using RO, the tap water issue is out of the question so it's just that which is created in the tank which would be there.

If you're not experiencing issues because of phosphate (algae), I wouldn't bother with the cost of using rowaphos. A phosphate test kit would put you in a more educated position in that respect. I'd just use a mechanical/biological combination for those fish, but that's just my opinion.

 

[saintkel]

Thanks for the advice and will keep that in mind if any algae decides to attack.

I previously had a smaller tank and did not have any real problems once I had switched from poor tap water to RO. Would not really drink the stuff or keep fish in it with the high nitrate and no doubt (although I did not check) phosphate levels.

 

[znk]

Depends on what you're going to have in your tank. I fill my filters with 1/3 mechanical ceramic rings and 2/3 biological media (eheim substrat pro) and don't bother with carbon or other chemical filtration (except the odd bit of rowaphos if phosphate's getting high).

Arent those Biological media?

I'd put some filter floss somewhere in their to get rid of finer particles.

 

[idlefingers]

I guess it depends how technical you want to get. The ceramic rings are supposed to trap large bits of crap (making them mechanical media) but will get populated by the bacteria so I guess you could say they kind of do both.. Likewise, carbon will be colonised by bacteria but is still classed chemical media. I guess it's a matter of what it's primary function is and what it's most efficient at doing..

Yeah, sorry I completely forgot filter floss (and that I have it in my filters)!! That's definitely a good addition, too..

 

[targa66]

I've got the same filter and just left in the media it came with (carbon and white ceramic thingies). Have been very happy wiht it so far, but had to remove the carbon when I had to medicate the tank. I did notice that after removing the carbon and then turning the filter back on it seemed to spit out a lot of white particles, which may have been from the white ceramic pieces, but the fish didn't seem to suffer any ill effects.

 

[saintkel]

Agreed there, it does seem a very good filter and very quiet.

Did initially manage to somehow not get the rubber seal in place when first turning on and ended up with a wet carpet but other than that I'm impressed.