Should I Get An Air Stone

[Hiya70310]

yep - you simply cut to the desired length with a pair of scissors/knife.

Thanks I think I got it.

 

[Inchworm]

Its polyester fiber (aka floss or "polyfloss") and its used as the finest grade of mechanical filtration media in a filter to catch the smallest of particles. It can get full of debris pretty fast and even though it can sometimes be squeezed and re-used a few times it usually breaks down and wears out much faster than other media types. Some people say that it "polishes" the water.

Its pictured there because (back in the day) it was very common to have simple internal bubble-driven filters that had carbon in the bottom and lots of floss on top. Given what you've learned probably by now here in the beginner section I'm sure you can see why this wasn't such a good filter!

Although polyfloss will indeed harbor significant amounts of the beneficial bacteria, we don't usually "count it" as a major part of the biomedia as long as there's enough other biomedia (again, the primary biomedia types being ceramic rings, ceramic gravel, plastic "bioballs" and sponges of all types.) The answer to your question is that yes you can add it and no it doesn't have to be cycled, but I always encourage people to be careful and observant when trying different things with their filters, mainly so as not to clog them up without realizing it!

As you become a more experienced hobbyist you begin to realize how silly all these little plastic "cartridge" constructions are and how they are all about trying to regularly sell supplies and not about filtering the water and taking care of the fish! At that point you begin to look at different filters and realize how sensible the big external cannisters are with their large and simple trays to hold any type of media in quantity. The manufacturers have the advantage in that newcomers to the hobby just have no earthly idea what a filter is all about.

~~waterdrop~~

I have to disagree with you, waterdrop. There is nothing at all silly about box filters. I currently have 30 tanks running (641 gallons of water) and have gone back to using nothing but the simple, old fashioned box filters in them. They do an excellent job. Many of the long time fishkeepers have done the same.

They are inexpensive, easy to clean, and the 100% polyester media lasts a good, long time. All that beneficial bacteria need to keep a tank cycled are surfaces to cling to, food, and oxygen. The fish provide their food, and the box filter set up provides the rest. The media is also easily divided or moved from one tank to another.

Here's a picture of one of my tanks with mature C. schultzei (black) and wild caught C. weitzmani. I would never risk these hard to come by corydoras by keeping them in a tank with less than excellent filtration.

 

[Hiya70310]

Nice Inchworm...So, the media your talking about. Is it the blue filter that comes with the tank. Cause that is the only one really that they just sell at the store that would be like wal-mart. I can go into town and they have other stuff. It is all japanese brand stuff which is really cool stuff I have never seen before. Ex. the siphon that cleans the gravel has a pump on it and a valve that you can control just how strong the water is sucked up and a little removable strainer that keeps the gravel from being sucked up. I don't know if any where else sales the gravel vac like that but back in the states they just sold clear tubing and called it a vacuum. And the airstones I saw yesterday was just a round ball instead of the larger cylinder green stone. Anyway I need an idea of what things look like if i'm going to buying it in town and then at times that doesn't even help.

 

[Craster]

As you become a more experienced hobbyist you begin to realize how silly all these little plastic "cartridge" constructions are and how they are all about trying to regularly sell supplies and not about filtering the water and taking care of the fish! At that point you begin to look at different filters and realize how sensible the big external cannisters are with their large and simple trays to hold any type of media in quantity. The manufacturers have the advantage in that newcomers to the hobby just have no earthly idea what a filter is all about.

~~waterdrop~~

I have to disagree with you, waterdrop. There is nothing at all silly about box filters. I currently have 30 tanks running (641 gallons of water) and have gone back to using nothing but the simple, old fashioned box filters in them. They do an excellent job. Many of the long time fishkeepers have done the same.

Without wishing to speak on Waterdrop's behalf, I believe the comment on 'cartridge' constructions was referring more to the cartridges you get in a lot of internal filters that basically are a small plastic case with either foam, chemical or biomedia in that slot into your filter. They're sealed and you have to buy complete replacements from the manufacturer, rather than just being able to place media directly into the filter itself.

 

[waterdrop]

Its polyester fiber (aka floss or "polyfloss") and its used as the finest grade of mechanical filtration media in a filter to catch the smallest of particles. It can get full of debris pretty fast and even though it can sometimes be squeezed and re-used a few times it usually breaks down and wears out much faster than other media types. Some people say that it "polishes" the water.

Its pictured there because (back in the day) it was very common to have simple internal bubble-driven filters that had carbon in the bottom and lots of floss on top. Given what you've learned probably by now here in the beginner section I'm sure you can see why this wasn't such a good filter!

Although polyfloss will indeed harbor significant amounts of the beneficial bacteria, we don't usually "count it" as a major part of the biomedia as long as there's enough other biomedia (again, the primary biomedia types being ceramic rings, ceramic gravel, plastic "bioballs" and sponges of all types.) The answer to your question is that yes you can add it and no it doesn't have to be cycled, but I always encourage people to be careful and observant when trying different things with their filters, mainly so as not to clog them up without realizing it!

As you become a more experienced hobbyist you begin to realize how silly all these little plastic "cartridge" constructions are and how they are all about trying to regularly sell supplies and not about filtering the water and taking care of the fish! At that point you begin to look at different filters and realize how sensible the big external cannisters are with their large and simple trays to hold any type of media in quantity. The manufacturers have the advantage in that newcomers to the hobby just have no earthly idea what a filter is all about.

~~waterdrop~~

I have to disagree with you, waterdrop. There is nothing at all silly about box filters. I currently have 30 tanks running (641 gallons of water) and have gone back to using nothing but the simple, old fashioned box filters in them. They do an excellent job. Many of the long time fishkeepers have done the same.

They are inexpensive, easy to clean, and the 100% polyester media lasts a good, long time. All that beneficial bacteria need to keep a tank cycled are surfaces to cling to, food, and oxygen. The fish provide their food, and the box filter set up provides the rest. The media is also easily divided or moved from one tank to another.

Here's a picture of one of my tanks with mature C. schultzei (black) and wild caught C. weitzmani. I would never risk these hard to come by corydoras by keeping them in a tank with less than excellent filtration.

Oh yes, Craster (post above this one) was right. I just wasn't clear enough. I was indeed talking about the "cartridges" in things like Penquins and I don't know what else. No, I love the simple little box filters just like you. Have used tons of them in my time and I think of them as a great and flexible option for all sorts of things just as you've outlined!

~~waterdrop~~