The use of filter floss

[hungryhound]

The more we read and partake in this board, the more we hear that charcoal filters are not the way to go. That being said how exactly does one go charcoalless?

Can you buy charcolless filters or is filter floss the only way to go? When using filter floss do you just stick it in the filter or do you bag it somehow?

This concludes the idiots questions of the evening....we now return you to your regular reading :)

PS: as a point of reference, we have a Marineland 350 HOB with the bio wheels removed (planted tank).

[Lady Hobbs]

You don't get the idiot award yet. I'm still way ahead of you.

I use floss that can be cut. It comes in sheets. I just cut a big square, fold it up and put it in the back. When it gets grungy, I cut off the worse areas and add the rest back. It gets very dirty so tells me it catches a lot of stuff and I like that I can just unfold it and cut off the worse areas.

Some of the floss is more stringy and has more polyester in it. Comes more like gobs in a bag rather than in sheets. That works better in a bag but I've also just crammed it in the back but little pieces get loose now and then which is why I prefer the type you cut with scissors.

Tetra has filter bags you buy by the box and has charcoal in packages that you add yourself to the bag. I've bought these before just for the bags. You just cram the bag full of whatever you want and put a clip on the top. You can cut the top off if too long.

[hungryhound]

Thanks for the quick response.

I don't think we have the filter floss that comes in a sheet that you love, but rather the bag of puffy, pull it apart stuff :P As such i think we'll go out and look for these magic sheets and some of the tetra bags in the mean time.

[Lady Hobbs]

http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=84552444178 1400&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302030059&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023693&bmUID=1175312331856&itemNo=22&In=Fish&N=2030059&Ne=2

Here's some and ships free.

If this is the kind I got last time, you don't even need a bag. It stays together nicely as is.

[Cichlid_Man]

Hi all.
What I do is take out any carbon that comes with the filter.
Sometimes it is in a media bag which is convenient to throw out and replace.
I replace the carbon with ceramic rings in a media bag.
Fluval calls it pre filter media. You can also use bio-max, but I like ceramic rings better.

Then, I sqeeze in as much filter floss as I can wherever I can fit it in the filter. Talk about crystal clear?

Thanks Hobbs for the link! I can use that too!

[Fishguy2727]

I wouldn't use those prefilter rings at all. They are not porous and therefore have limited surface area for nitrifying bacteria to grow on. The Biomax is highly porous and therefore in addition to the surface area on the surface, the entire ring is full if surface area, giving you much more surface area for nitrifying bacteria to adhere to. There is no good use for the prefilter rings.

[hungryhound]

Here's some and ships free.

Thanks for the link. It is good to see the product first hand so that we know exactly what we are looking for. I think we will check out our local petsmart before we order online, but that link will be invaluable.


Hi all.
What I do is take out any carbon that comes with the filter.
Sometimes it is in a media bag which is convenient to throw out and replace.
I replace the carbon with ceramic rings in a media bag.
Fluval calls it pre filter media. You can also use bio-max, but I like ceramic rings better.

Then, I sqeeze in as much filter floss as I can wherever I can fit it in the filter. Talk about crystal clear?

Thanks for the idea. I think that we may have different brands or types of filters, because when i look at my pre packaged filters the carbon is in a plasic container sewed to the Filter screen. But it is good to know there are more than one way to skin a cat.

reptileguy2727

we will keep that in mind thanks.

[Lady Hobbs]

I got mine at PetSmart, as well, but the link is PetSmart, as well.

[Abbeys_Mom]

I have a penguin biowheel. I buy the $2 cartridges and take the charcoal out by cutting a slit in the top of the blue floss and dumping it out. I re-use the same cartridge for about a year (just rinsing it when it gets dirty), and if i need carbon, I put some in a filter bag or pour a bit in the hole in the cartridge.
With my Aqua clear, I just buy the sponge (I re-use that also) and get a carbon bag separately.

[Lady Hobbs]

How do you like your Aqua Clear? They make a 110 model that's supposed to be pretty good for large tanks. Is yours quiet and do a good job?

[Abbeys_Mom]

I found it is easier and cheaper the the bio wheel. About the same level of noise as the penguin filter without the bio wheel. The largest tank I have ever run the Aqua clear on was a 55, so I can't say how well they would work for larger tanks.

[Lady Hobbs]

Thanks Liz. I'm not all that sold on the bio-wheels anymore myself.
Your answer has convinced me to get the 110 and give it a try.