How do the big foam filters work?

[el wad]

Alright, I gotta ask....
How do you guys work those big internal foam filters?
I read you have to use an air pump?
Do you run other filtration such as a cannister or something else besides these foam things?
Does anyone hook them up to the intake on their cannister filters?

I like the idea of added filtration and was thinking of adding these into my grow-out tank.

Any and all info is greatly appreciated.

[fredox]

They work on a similar idea to under gravel filters. Air is pumped into the base of a uplift/central tube. The air pulls water with it as it rises in the uplift tube. This water moving pulls the water through the foam and created the filter.

I've seen people run just foam filters and then I've seen them run them with just about every other type of filter. As for adding them to you canister intake, they would effectively become pre-filters and trap all the major dirt entering the canister.

[troyclark]

I would think that if you use a conventional sponge filter as an intake prefilter it will clog very quickly and minimize the canister filters effectiveness. HTH

[aquagal]

I agree that using a sponge prefilter on a canister intake reduces its efficiency.

[fredox]

Sorry I should have put about the clogging in the first post. The only times I've had using them as a pre-filter said to my they have said you need to clean them every few days if not daily.

Another way I've seen them used is as a back-up/emergency filter on a centralized system. You can run them in the tank and if you need to isolate a tank you have a filter ready to go.

[el wad]

nice....I was wondering about clogging myself.

What would be a good set-up for a 112g?

I run 2 eheim cans on the aquarium right now, and would love to add more filtration.

[el wad]

heh heh...clogging myself.

[reelay0]

Since you don't have a sump of some sort on the tank from what I read... the filter would have to go into the tank itself. I good place to put it is where most of the poo and other trash builds up in your aquarium. That way it gets sucked up by the foam filter and it will make your siphoning life a bit easier.

if you do have a sump stick it in the sump so it doesn't mess up your aquascape.

[fredox]

Do you mind me asking a few questions?

What Eheims are you running?
What media do you have in them?
What stocking levels do you have?

I've got 2 running on a 90 gal community with no problems and it's overstocked for size but not when you take the filtration into account. If your just looking to cut down on canister maintainance Eheim do a pre-filter. It's the bottom item on this page http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_Aquari...extractor.html

[el wad]

[QUOTE=fredox;429094]Do you mind me asking a few questions?

What Eheims are you running?2226 w/eheim pre-filter and 2227 wet/dry
What media do you have in them?effisubstrat pro/peat in the wet dry and straight mechanical in the 2226
What stocking levels do you have?5 fish at the moment

I like the idea of using them as an extra polisher/bio source.
QUOTE]

[fredox]

I'd have thought your bio-filtration was fine with what your running. As for polishing the best way I've found was to add a surface skimmer. My tank is covered but it still makes a massive difference.

You'll have to ask one of the guys that runs the foam filters what their like for polishing.

How many fish are you looking at going up to and are we just talking discus?

[NanDiscus]

Hi Everyone,

This may be a little bit off the topic, but seeing what it evolved into, I feel, that my addition will do no harm.
As I was building my own little show tank, I realised that I only had a Hydor Prime 20 to use as a filter. I wanted to increase the filtration potential, so I manufactured a little addition to it:

I took a roughly 20 gal plastic srew-top, rubber-sealed container, drilled two holes on the top for the intake pipes, one hole very near the bottom, and filled with (bottom -> top) about 10gal of bio-balls, a layer of filter wool, about 5 gal of 2"x2"x2" sponge cubes, another, thicker layer of filter wool. On the inside of the intakes I used two drilled pipes to spread the water over the surface relatively evenly for a good flow.
The barrel is attached to the intake of the Hydor filter, stuffed with about a gallon of Siporax, this pumps the water back up into the drilled tank. I use no additional filtration on this tank, as I have the impression that this filter might be a little bit of an overkill.

Merry Christmas!
Nandi

[phidelt85]

Nandi, it's a great set up; however, may I make a suggestion. You may consider adding a drain valve on the bottom of your filter so you can drain off the muck that accumulates in it. You can even back wash the filter by reversing the flow and running it to drain.

[Polar_Bear]

I would think that if you use a conventional sponge filter as an intake prefilter it will clog very quickly and minimize the canister filters effectiveness. HTH

I agree that using a sponge prefilter on a canister intake reduces its efficiency.

Actually you are both wrong. I have pre-filters from JEHM, which are merely Hydro 1 sponge filters, on all tanks with canister filters and flow has not been impaired at all. They are great if you don't want to change media in your canister filters weekly.

[NanDiscus]

Nandi, it's a great set up; however, may I make a suggestion. You may consider adding a drain valve on the bottom of your filter so you can drain off the muck that accumulates in it. You can even back wash the filter by reversing the flow and running it to drain.

Hi Jose,
Yes, I thought about it, but it's quite difficult to disconnect the system, so I just take the connection apart at the Hydor every once in a while and drain the bottom of the big filter like that. I don't lose too much water this way and the outlet reaches into the bucket quite well. Making another whole, emptying the tank would just be too much of a hassle.

Nandi