Aqua-tech and marineland HoB filters.

**Nephalem** · 08-07-2012, 07:52 PM

Ok so I apologize because I'm sure you guys are asked this a lot, but I've done a lot of reading and I just want to make sure I understand the principals right.

I've included some pics at the bottom for visual aid in my rambling thought process. :)

So I have 3 tanks. 1 10g with an aqua-tech 10-20, 1 10g with a marineland penguin 100, and a 30g with an aqua-tech 30-60. The marineland has a blue cartridge which I believe to be carbon? And a bio-wheel but nothing else. The aqua-techs have the same blue cartridges but instead of the bio-wheel they have these black "bio fibre" cartridges in front of the blue. I also have a "hydro sponge II" by ATI attatched to the intake on the larger aqua-tech that I can disconnect when I need it for a QT/med tank. My question is the marineland has an empty spot inside that looks like it could fit a sponge. The other two don't have a spot I can see for a sponge anywhere. I see people talking about maximizing their bio-media and I wanted to make sure I'm going to do it right. The blue cartridges come out as they are carbon, which I don't need unless something specific comes up like meds I need to clear, correct? Then I add more black "bio-fibre" cartridges on the two aqua-techs in place of the blue carbon? And in the marineland I add a sponge media in that empty spot? (btw, the empty spot is right where the light glare is in that pic). Or is there a spot to add sponges to the aqua-techs too? Under the cartridges or something?

Thanks again in advance for the advice. I just want to make sure I've optimized my little guys homes and I'm a little OCD when it comes to water conditions. Also I just read a post from someone saying the carbon can eventually wear out and have negative effects on the water quality which I didn't know. Now I'm motivated to get rid of them.

10g - aqua-tech 10-20: http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...m/af59f280.jpg

10g - marineland penguin 100: http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...m/f784661a.jpg

30g - aqua-tech 30-60 with hydro sponge II intake: http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...m/2f6ec8ef.jpg

**MCHRKiller** · 08-07-2012, 08:02 PM

There is a product called a Super Cartridge which works pretty well as a direct replacement to standard carbon/blue pad cartridges. However in the few Marineland filters I run I have learned to just get a Whisper/Tetra poly bag and fill it with Eheim Ehfilav instead of the provided carbon. These actually last a really long time as you can just rinse them in tank water. You can also cut various sponges and filter pads to fit in the media chamber as well.

**Nephalem** · 08-07-2012, 08:37 PM

Thank you killer that is exactly what I needed to know. My LFS carries some tetra stuff so I'll grab some of those bags next time I'm down there.

So if I were to take any piece of actual, natural sponge and cut it into sizes that will fit in my HoBs, as long as it didn't impede water flow, this will work as biological media? Or does it have to be specific material?

**MCHRKiller** · 08-07-2012, 08:39 PM

Bacteria will colonize any surface...the key is getting a porous media where mass amounts of bacteria will colonize. Any sponge which does not contain chemicals will work pretty well IMO.

**Nephalem** · 08-07-2012, 08:51 PM

Thank you very much

/thread

**Old Marine** · 08-08-2012, 01:45 AM

If you look at the corners of my tank you will see my Home made Sponge filters. The sponges i got at Walmart in the auto cleaning section, i got the pvc at lowes, just get it sized for an airstone, Then take a knife and work it down the sponge about an inch from the bottom, then work the pvc down the same hole, add air stone and tubing, run to air pump and you have very Cheap sponge filter that works GREAT

**Nephalem** · 08-09-2012, 12:50 AM

awesome thank you marine. I was going to do the same with sponges from wally but i was worried about chemicals on them that weren't listed, so I went and picked up some at an lfs instead.