Posts tagged Filtration
Sponge Filters, Myths and Truths of This Type of Filtration for Aquariums and Ponds
Jul 8th
Sponge Filters, Myths and Truths of This Type of Filtration for Aquariums and Ponds
I have read several posts in forums and especially Yahoo answers about Sponge Filters. There is still a lot of misinformation about how a sponge works and is powered along with what they can and cannot do.
There are several models of sponge filters (and several brands, not all are even close to equal). There are sponge filters that work as pre filters for canister filters or HOB filters (where they substantially improve bio filtration during cartridge changes (not to mention they extend the life of filter cartridges allow less frequent changes). There are also sponge filters that work in ponds, aquarium sumps, or work as sponge filters for larger aquariums (the Hydro Pond ).
Where some of the misinformation comes in is how they are powered, many can be or are powered by pumps or power heads not just air pumps.
Another source of misinformation is their capacity as compared to other filters. You cannot compare a small cheap sponge filter model to an Aqua Clear 50 HOB filter. However a Hydro Sponge #5 (powered by a proper air pump (such as a ReSun 9602 ) or a power head (such as a Via Aqua 480 or larger) will easily match the Aqua Clear 50 in bio capacity (or usually exceed it) and mechanical filtration (often chemical filtration is not necessary in a healthy established aquarium, I only use carbon in new aquariums or sometimes after treatment).
The Hydro Pond II or IV will easily exceed the Aqua Clear 110.
All these sponge filters cost much less besides!
And finally another source of misinformation is on comparing all sponge filters as the same. I have used many different models and they are not even close to bio capacity or even flow rate with the same pump (air or water) attached (I have “clocked” the fill rate in a measuring cup of different brand “seasoned” sponge filters and found definite variations). I will admit to trying different brands for cost assuming a sponge was a sponge, however I quickly noticed the difference and then switched to knock offs of Hydro Sponge until I found out about patent infringements. There is a reason that there are so many patent infringements on Hydro Sponge, they work!
For my full article, please visit this site:
Sponge Filtration (Aquarium and Pond)
By Carl Strohmeyer
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Types Of Home Aquarium Filtration
Jul 4th
Types Of Home Aquarium Filtration
It’s important to have good filtration In your home aquarium because the quality of your water is critical to the health of your fish. The better your filtration, the clear your water will be and the more fish will be able to keep while still maintaining good water quality and a healthy environment.
There are three basic kinds of filtration commonly used in the home aquarium – biological, chemical and mechanical. Often times the filtering system will include two of these types of filtration combined. a good example is the typical aquarium filter that hangs on the outside of the aquarium with it to go into the water that sucks up the water, pushes it through a filter and some sport of sponge and returns it to the tank through the other side. This type of filter uses mechanical filtration as well as biological filtration.
Mechanical filtration is pretty much what it sounds like, it uses mechanical means to filter particles and such from the water. This is your typical filter that has some sort of a pump which sucks the water in and some sort of a filter that the water passes through and then a tray or tube that puts the filtered water back into the aquarium. These can be the power filters that hang off the back of your tank in suck water up through a tube running through a cartridge before pouring it back into the aquarium, or under gravel filters that suck the water down through the gravel actually using the substrate as a filter and then return the water at the top of the tank.
Biological filtration is one that not a lot of people think about but it is very important for your home aquarium. the waste from your fish indicating pieces of money and food are constantly being broken down into ammonia which can be toxic in your fish tank. Biological filtration allows bacteria to keep this ammonia making the water safer for your fish. The thing is that this bacteria needs something to grow in. While the bacteria can grow right in the gravel bed, a lot of mechanical filters include a bio wheel or some type of media or a sponge that the bacteria can grow on.
Chemical filtration relies on the use of chemicals such as carbon or more new chips to absorb the ammonia In the water. Many power filters also come with a little carbon pack that you act to be with water and putting your filter in this carbon pack will be doing the job of chemical filtration. But the bacteria colony in your biological filtration should also be taking this so many people question whether you actually need chemical filtration in your home aquarium.
Aquarium filtration is vital for any aquarium but the size of your tank makes a difference as to which types of filters you use. If you are in doubt, your best bet is to ask the person at you’re aquarium store where you bought the fish tank and they are usually pretty well versed in what type of filters are best for the style and size tank you have. Maintaining your filter and changing the cartridges as recommended its key to having happy healthy fish and a beautiful crystal clear tank.
Lee Dobbins writes for http://www.fish-tank-guide.com we you can learn more about choosing, setting up, and maintaining your aquarium as well as find out about certain accessories like the aquarium filter.
My 29 gallon aquarium with new gravel, some new fish and a different filter setup. Some of the fish in this aquarium include: – 2 types of corydoras – bleeding heart tetras – buenos aires tetras – Siamese algae eaters – albino bristle-nose pleco – rasbora hengeli – miniature orange platys
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Sponge Filtration for Aquariums and Ponds; Why Sponge Filters Should Not Be Overlooked As Filters for your Aquarium Or for your Pond
Jun 27th
Sponge Filtration for Aquariums and Ponds; Why Sponge Filters Should Not Be Overlooked As Filters for your Aquarium Or for your Pond
Sponge filtration is an often overlooked type of filtration for freshwater aquarium or ponds and even marine aquariums . Many persons look past their simplicity as ineffective, but therein lies their quality. I have used them for my aquarium maintenance for 27 plus years with excellent results. Here then is a list of their attributes:
[1] Simple to use, most run on very basic air pumps or powerheads. One of the best beginner aquarist filters due simplicity and cost. But sponge filters are also popular with breeders and research facilities, as they are very efficient yet simple filters.
[2] Excellent biological filtration, they are very porous and can maintain very large aerobic bacterial colonies in proportion to the space they occupy. Please note that not all materials used for sponge filters are equal, there are patents because of this! The Hydro Sponge Filter holds several patents for sponge filters for this very reason!
[3] Mechanical filtration, although they are not the best mechanical filters, they still do a good job for their small size and make excellent secondary or primary filters when used in combination with other filters such as HOB, canister, or internal filters.
[4] Very few “dead” areas trapping pockets of noxious bacteria, unlike undergravel filters and even wet/dry filters (which in my experience are over rated).
[5] Simple to clean, simply remove the sponge and squeeze or rinse in old aquarium water or dechlorinated tap water. The advantage here is the aquarist is less likely to ignore cleaning the filter (unlike many complex filters), which can lead to organic build up, increasing nitrates and lowering KH and ph.
[6] Sponge filters are great in marine aquariums in a couple of different ways; one way is in a sump (sometimes sideways) with a small power head pump (such as a Via Aqua 480); the other (usually in a reef application) was inside the aquarium with either an air pump or power head. The beauty of either application is they are simple to rinse out with used aquarium water, which in the reef application was especially useful in that I could dispose of allot of debris before it cycled and produced Nitrates. They are an excellent compliment to “live rock” filtered reef aquariums.
[7] Probably the best choice of filtration for breeding tanks, hospital tanks, and even discus aquariums, due to the fact that they do not “suck” in baby or weak fish or attract noxious bacteria.
[8] For cichlid breeding they excell, as they are not easily disturbed by cichlids tendency to dig.
[9] Inexpensive
[10] Now available in larger sizes for aquariums over 60 gallons.
[11] Sponge filters can even be used in ponds. With the “Hydro Pond Filter”, simply attach a power head pump (such as a Via Aqua 2600), then run your return line wherever you like (waterfall, ECT). Or the Hydro Pond II can be run off a simple air pump. These filters can work on ponds up to 1500 gallons (or more with additional units).
[12] There also are sponge filters that are used as a “Pre-Filter” for intakes of canister, wet/dry, power filters and more. They offer increased bio-filtration to your existing system, as well as protection from baby fish, plants, or anemones from being sucked into the intake of your existing filter.
These pre-filter sponges are especially useful for HOB (power filters) as they increase the bio capacity (far more than bio wheels in experiments I have done) and retain the aerobic bio filtering bacteria during filter media changes. With out these Sponge pre-filters, HOB filters are poor to fair bio filters, with them they are excellent.
[13] Sponge filters are great for planted aquariums, they do not interfere with root structures and maintain a biological balance that ideal for planted aquariums.
By Carl Strohmeyer
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/sponge_filtration.html
http://groups.msn.com/EverythingAquatic
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Aquarium Hang On the Back Power Filters (hob Filters), Their Strengths and Weaknesses (especially in Bio Filtration)
Jun 27th
Aquarium Hang On the Back Power Filters (hob Filters), Their Strengths and Weaknesses (especially in Bio Filtration)
HOB filters (hang on the back- power filters) are quite popular for good reason. They are generally inexpensive and simple to operate. But they do have a couple of weaknesses, especially in bio filtration and in the case of Aqua Clears: a high “flow by rate”.
[1] Bio filtration; The Aqua clear is better here than others, but it has a weak impeller design that is not very durable and they are prone to leaks. The Aqua Clear is also a poor mechanical filter with a high “flow by rate” (the amount of water that actually is forced thru the filter media).
That leaves the cartridge models starting with the Penguin. The Penguin has a much lower “flow by rate” than the Aqua Clear and is less prone to leaks, but their bio filtration is poor, even with the bio wheel, which is vastly over-rated in my tests I preformed through my aquarium maintenance business. I removed the bio wheel on penguin filters on comparable aquariums with comparable bio loads and fish and found no discernable ammonia spike. Yet when HOB filters that had running pre filters attached to their intakes were removed, there were discernable ammonia spikes.
The Whisper and ReSun the HOB filters I prefer the most. Both these filters have a low “flow by rate”. The ReSun is a much better value and is less prone to leaks, but the ReSun currently has a poor choice of filter size options.
This brings me to the point that ALL HOB filters should be equipped with Pre Filters (the Filter Max is the best due to its patented sponge technology). Pre Filters vastly increase bio filtration, are inexpensive (.99 and up), prevent baby fish from being sucked into the filter, and provide a measure of bio stability when the cartridge is changed.
[2] The other weakness of HOB filters is the poor cross circulation they provide (HOB filters provide vertical circulation). Cross circulation is especially important in larger aquariums such as a 48″ 60 gallon aquarium. For small aquariums such as 20 gallons or less, this is of less concern, although I would still consider an addition filter such as an air driven sponge filter for redundancy.
This is easily remedied with an Internal Filter. I recommend the Via Aqua Internal Filter due to its reliability, and inexpensive sponge media which keeps it simple to keep.
For more information about sponge filtration, please see this article: “Sponge filtration”
by Carl Strohmeyer
http://aquarium-answers.blogspot.com/
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Do Bio Wheels Really Work for Bio Filtration – Cutting Through the Hype
Jun 26th
Do Bio Wheels Really Work for Bio Filtration – Cutting Through the Hype
There is a lot of information about bio wheels and their importance in bio filtration in aquariums. In theory they are great idea and I bought into this idea for years without testing the results to see if the hype was true. In theory the wheel turns into the air where oxygen the aerobic bacteria need to remove ammonia and nitrites is much more abundant. But after many a wheel stalling with the many customers I serviced aquariums for I decided to start testing these wheels vs. other bio filter methods.
I removed the bio wheel on penguin filters on comparable aquariums with comparable bio loads and fish and found no discernable ammonia spike. Yet when HOB filters that had running Sponge Pre Filters attached to their intakes were removed, there were discernable ammonia spikes. This is not to say a bio wheel does not work at all, especially there is less build up deposits on the bio wheel fiber.
What is much more important is to have an adequate amount of dissolved oxygen through agitation of the water surface which is where oxygen and other gasses are exchanged from the atmosphere and the aquarium. This is also important for the aquarium Redox not just the aerobic bacteria. I have found a porous sponge filter media to maintain more bacteria in well oxygenated water.
Here are a few reasons behind the poor results of bio wheels:
[1] Hard water buildup; although not as much a problem in soft water aquariums, this is a major problem with hard water aquariums and especially marine aquariums (where these bio wheels are a total waste of money). What happens is the calcium, salts and other deposits form in the pores of the bio wheel fiber, not allowing bacteria to form there. This is the main reason for the lack of effectiveness for bio wheels. My tests in Discus aquariums (which are soft water) showed better results for bio wheels (although not as well as sponge or other porous media).
[2] Lack of surface area; a bio wheel does not have the surface are of many other bio media products from sponge media to the very porous pumice media used by Eheim and others.
[3] Bio wheel stalls; bio wheels have a bad habit of stalling. This is only a minor reason to not have these bio wheels as this is a correctable problem.
Here is a way correct this problem (this will be an on going maintenance problem). Make sure the Teflon ends on the bio wheel axle are clean and have no build ups of calcium you can replace these with Teflon tape in a pinch. Also make sure the bio wheel assembly is not to tight, simply remove the bio wheel and gently stretch the assembly apart so the wheel can spin more freely.
For more information on this subject, I recommend reading this article: Aquarium answer; Do Bio-Wheels really work
By Carl Strohmeyer
http://aquarium-answers.blogspot.com/
New and UNBOXING the Marineland Penguin 350 BIO-Wheel Power Filter. Part 1
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