Filtration Advice

[Fred37]

Folks,

In the process of getting everything ready for the transfer to my Dad's new tank I was reading the instructions for the Interpet PF2/3/4 filter that came with it. They say that we should be using 3 types of filter media: Plain foam and carbon foam in the main filter body and a 'high surface area Biomedia' filter material in the Biochamber.

However, when we purchased the Fluval 2 he uses in his current tank, the LFS said that he didn't recommend using any of the foam pads and that we should only use what is a very coarse black filter that comes in large sheets (we cut it to size) - I'd assumed that this was a carbon filter but maybe I'm wrong.
So my question is........what should we be using in the Fluval 2 for optimum results?
He has a 64l tank that houses 17 fish incl a mix of guppies, mollies, plattys, zebras a tetra and a loach.
Thanks.

 

[rocknurworld2006]

Folks,

In the process of getting everything ready for the transfer to my Dad's new tank I was reading the instructions for the Interpet PF2/3/4 filter that came with it. They say that we should be using 3 types of filter media: Plain foam and carbon foam in the main filter body and a 'high surface area Biomedia' filter material in the Biochamber.

However, when we purchased the Fluval 2 he uses in his current tank, the LFS said that he didn't recommend using any of the foam pads and that we should only use what is a very coarse black filter that comes in large sheets (we cut it to size) - I'd assumed that this was a carbon filter but maybe I'm wrong.
So my question is........what should we be using in the Fluval 2 for optimum results?
He has a 64l tank that houses 17 fish incl a mix of guppies, mollies, plattys, zebras a tetra and a loach.
Thanks.

use the foam pads that are for the fluval 2 and if u want u can use occasionaly if needed the fluval polyster and carbon pads for a short time

but these are in addition to the standard foam pads.

the fluval 2 is an excellent filter and the foam pads are really good. never mind what the lfs telling you . normal fluval pads are really good.

 

[waterdrop]

Hi there Fred,

Glad the rockr came along with some advice specific to your filter model. I'm not familiar with the individual pads for those, so can't really help there.

But I did want to mention that its always good to keep in mind that manufacturers are constantly busy with their necessary job of keeping the money moving and so they are constantly trying to dream up ways to try and keep consumers buying replacement things of this type and another so that they can keep making money after the initial sale. That's what "cartridges" and "pads" and "screens" and things of this sort in filters is all about.

On the other hand, the boring truth is that the best filters from the user's point of view just have trays or chambers that are open to accept any type of media the hobbyist wants to put in them. There are by now thousands of threads on the forums discussing how ceramics, sponges and optionally polyfloss are among the most common media in use today to carry out the two essential mechanical and biological functions of a filter.

The third function, the chemical filtration function, is optional and carbon is the most common example that hobbyists first run into. Carbon is very useful from time to time but is best left on the shelf, waiting for one of the 3 things its best used for: removing meds, clearing up yellow tannins (from bogwood or other woods) or getting rid of the occasional organic smell from a dead fish or something. Carbon is only good for about 3 days and then is taken out and thrown away. If you don't have any of these optional situations, then carbon is best left on the shelf.

The general rule in mechanical filtration (trapping particals and debris of different sizes) is to follow the water path through the filter and start with larger pore/space openings and then move to smaller spaces to trap smaller and smaller particles. ie. coarse sponges should come prior to fine-pore sponges, ceramic rings or bioballs should come before ceramic pebbles or fine sponges and water polishers like polyfloss should usually come last so that they won't need to be replaced quite as soon.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Chris w]

and to add to this personally i never have carbon in my tank setups.

the reason is that you have to remove it if you need to use any treatments in the tank

as a carbon filter will remove most if not all of the treatments/medicine that you use.



and to add to this personally i never have carbon in my tank setups.

the reason is that you have to remove it if you need to use any treatments in the tank

as a carbon filter will remove most if not all of the treatments/medicine that you use.