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| Posted | Never Used an External Filter Before |
| 18-08-2006 17:14 by Lexter |
got this Fluval 303, the filter media housing has 3 compartments
top compartment for two big sponges which i have middle compartment came with that ceramic rings stuff (biomax) or equivilent bottom compartment with used bags of carbon (obviously getting shot of these) my question, in the middle of the compartment the ceramic rings didnt seem to take up much of the space (about 1/3 of space available - which i thought was a waste) so i have filled it up with some old ceramic rings and eheim substrate little stones (or whatever they are called) - have this from an old exernal i managed to smash before i could ever use it if i pack the middle bit full of this ceramic media and small stones i am thinking thats GOOD because of the amount of biological media in the filter but is it BAD as it may reduce the flow through the filter? can you over do it by filling one of the comparmtents to the brim with media??? i havent set it up yet, but at the moment the middle compartment is jammed packed with a mixture of ceramic rings and substrat stone and i am just worried i might reduce my water flow too much??? Also if i have 2x sponge in top compartment, ceramic rings and stones in middle, what should i put in bottom??? thanks |
| 18-08-2006 17:55 by robert.pope |
Hi lex
in my external (304)i have large ceramic rings in the bottom, smaller stones as you call them in the midle and filter floss in the top! i also pack them full and have had no problem's roughly 1/3 each! i think the filter media is best if water passes through the big stuff(tubes) first and fine last! would make sence to all the filter! good luck ! |
| 18-08-2006 17:59 by Lexter |
thanks Robert
when you mean roughly 1/3 each do you mena you fill up each compartment 33% to the max, coz i would say my middle compartment is about 97% full!!! or did you mean your total media (floss, rings, stones is equal in total volume) cheers |
| 18-08-2006 19:02 by keith t |
the rings wont slow the filter down, if you packed it with wool this would. Also the rings are better performing after the filter wool. |
| 18-08-2006 19:07 by Lexter |
yes Ketih thats what the manual says, pre-filter or wool at bottom, so the water goes there first apparently and then works its way up
Keith - what i have done though is supplement the rings with lots fo small Eheim Substrat stone and this is what i wondered about, because i have not used an external, i dont know what to expect flow rate wise, i think i'll just clear it slightly to be on safe side, at the moment the middle compartment is jammed-packed with stones and rings, but then again, its a Fluval 303 which i think is rated for 300 litres???? and i will be using it on a 125 litre initially |
| 18-08-2006 19:13 by keith t |
it will slow it down a tiny bit but nothing to be concerned about, and your right about wool at bottom. i have got a 304 which i had packed with stuff no probs.
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| 18-08-2006 19:14 by keith t |
you prob find you need to slow the flowrate down anyhow
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| 18-08-2006 19:16 by Lexter |
thats what i thought, if i have issues with flow rate i can always take some media out at a later point i reckon
thats if i can set the *** thing up, always had trouble with externals, either break them, or cant get them running and sell them to next peep who gets them running fine, but i got all the media, pipes and instructions, so here hoping  |
| 18-08-2006 19:19 by keith t |
if you have trouble getting it running try turning a garden hose on in the inlet tube this will flush out any air locks |
| 18-08-2006 21:26 by robert.pope |
im not convinced about filter wool as a first media!......although others might have good reason for this?
i was led to believe that it would clog up much faster than as a final filtering stage where it traps all fine particals pollishing the water! |
| 18-08-2006 21:30 by robert.pope |
oh also its 1/3 for each media.....= 100% full filter canister
Lex i believe filter flow rate is rated when the filter is empty. with media added it will reduce and if its still to strong use a spray bar under the water surface and face this towards the back of the tank( deflecting the flow work's well )  |
| 18-08-2006 21:34 by robert.pope |
My fluval 304 uses 4 foam filter pads first then ceramic tubes then fine filter stones then last is filter floss/wool!
if and when i use carbon pouch i place it between layers of filter wool have used this method for the past 10 years with no problems  wow has it been 10 years  |
| 18-08-2006 21:38 by Lexter |
thanks Robert
appreciate your advice (and yours Keith) Ketih made good point, i got the luxury of a 300 litre rated filter (if it works) and a 125 litre tank, so i can afford a bit of flow rate reduction hows your tanks coming along popey? what fiosh you got? |
| 18-08-2006 23:42 by robert.pope |
I am concentrating on just the main tank these days and one day plan to keep discus my recent fish and any in future will all be discus compatible.
at moment i have (upper water) a few guppy's 10 cardinal tetras 5 congo tetra = 2 male 3 female 1 pearl gourami (bottom) 2 albino cory 3 cory julii 6 clown loaches (largest 5") (clean up crew) 2 sucking loach (1 normal 1 gold) 1 sail fin plec Just today bought 1 pair golden rams! and i think thats it !bet you didnt expect to see live bearers listed! |
| 19-08-2006 01:27 by Lexter |
hope your rams enjoy life in there
my fave are bolivian rams  |
| 19-08-2006 19:20 by robert.pope |
day 2 and they are so active .....looks like they have setled in nicely thanks! |
| 19-08-2006 22:33 by Lexter |
am jelous robert i LOVE Rams, i had some Bolivians, but sold them coz they came from RO water and i didnt think they would flourish in my set-up
sold them to my mate £10 for the 3 adult Bolivians they are thriving with him and i offered him £30 for the 3 to buy them back, he turned me down  |
| 20-08-2006 19:45 by Jo Mack |
Lexter, its me again ! Why do you not rate the carbon bag thingies? What are they supposed to do and what do you replace them with if you get shut? I have two of these in the aqua one ( which is doing ok so far after the initial panic) |
| 20-08-2006 19:53 by Lexter |
glad to hear its going ok Jo
as for carbon, its not a problem, reason i dont rate using carbon is you have to replace it every 4 weeks really and if you dont or forget it can put back all the chemicals into your tank that it sucked in i use carbon every now and then to give my tank a "spring clean" as far as i know using carbon all the time is NOT a requirement for a healthy aquarium but i guess it does no harm, just be sure to change the carbon or carbon sponge every 4 weeks you might be able to get away with longer, but am not sure? so really its the expense and hassle jO thats all how are your fish??? any deaths? |
| 20-08-2006 20:19 by Jo Mack |
You were right about the clown loach, we lost one of those and a some guppies but to be honest, had been having trouble with guppies before as have other people I see on here. I am certainly not going to put any more in for the time being.
I take it the carbon bags wont filter out the tapsafe??? I was thinking of just putting another filter sponge in the second chamber instead of the carbon bags. What do you think? I really wish I had stuck with the fluval, I am not confident with this method of filtration at all. I never thought about it with the fluval. Have you ever used polyfilters, I saw these advertised somewhere they change colour or something to show what they have filtered? |
| 20-08-2006 20:21 by Lexter |
dont know much about poly filters and dont know about carbon taking out tap safe, i doubt they take out tap safe or the tap safe would say "remove carbon"
the tap safe doesnt need to be filtered through the entire aquarium anyway, you only need to add "tap-safe" to the bucket of fresh tap water and mix for a few seconds, i would look at maximising your filters BIOLOGICAL capacity and yes that would mean ditching the carbon |
| 20-08-2006 21:05 by Jo Mack |
I think I will give it ago, I have always managed without. Just read the very funny water, electricity and beer thread! |
| 20-08-2006 21:21 by Lexter |
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