The Puffer Forum

Aqua clear is better for two main reasons; 1, it uses a filter sponge similar to a canister filter, not a disposable cartridge and 2, it also holds biological media also similar to a canister.
I'd opt for a canister though, they allow for adjustment of water flow/current and hold far more media. They're also quieter, which is a plus.

G S P Freak wrote: I'd opt for a canister though, they allow for adjustment of water flow/current and hold far more media. They're also quieter, which is a plus.

And...Don't need to be cleaned as often, far less evaporation, allow tank to be placed closer to the wall, ...

Just don't accidentally skip a cleaning.


I hate to admit it but that is actually one of mine. I run two canisters on that 75g community and I mis-noted which filter got cleaned in the rotation. Also notice the cut up sponges from my two AC70s that were put in to seed this used canister nearly two years ago.

G S P Freak wrote:Aqua clear is better for two main reasons; 1, it uses a filter sponge similar to a canister filter, not a disposable cartridge and 2, it also holds biological media also similar to a canister.
I'd opt for a canister though, they allow for adjustment of water flow/current and hold far more media. They're also quieter, which is a plus.

I was surprised the Marineland filter had a disposable insert. Not sure what benefit they think there is to that. Its really not cool to have to throw those things away each month or so.

I am pretty much all in on a canister at this stage. Saw a deal on a 30 gallon set up today with a Fluval 205 included. May pull the trigger on that one next weekend.

PufferDek wrote:I was surprised the Marineland filter had a disposable insert. Not sure what benefit they think there is to that. Its really not cool to have to throw those things away each month or so.

I am pretty much all in on a canister at this stage. Saw a deal on a 30 gallon set up today with a Fluval 205 included. May pull the trigger on that one next weekend.

I use those filters too and I use their cartridges until they fall apart. I have not bought a filter pad in a year. lol

However I do buy the large Aquaclear sponges and stuff them in with the cartridges to extend their lifespan as a part of a slow conversion process I am doing with my filter media. I usually rinse off the sponges and barely have to touch the filter cartridges as they still look new because the sponges do most of the dirty work for them. However, if I need to cycle a new tank I can pull out one of those sponges and toss it in a new filter as an added benefit.

Oh I much prefer Edinburgh. Montreal has a reputation for some rather rude people and I haven't had any experiences that have told me differently. I hear there's some awesome smoked meat places in Montreal though I'm in Ontario, 6-7 hours away.

When I ran the Marinland I cut away the fins and charcoal and ran it for a long time. It is still around and I will re-use the same cartridge need be. As I recall they have two slots so you can run two cartrideg.
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk16 ... CI0577.jpg



Pull the trigger on the setup with the Fluval canister. I'm guessing good old Craigslist? I've purchased some killer deals on there.

sgtmyers88 wrote:

PufferDek wrote:I was surprised the Marineland filter had a disposable insert. Not sure what benefit they think there is to that. Its really not cool to have to throw those things away each month or so.

I am pretty much all in on a canister at this stage. Saw a deal on a 30 gallon set up today with a Fluval 205 included. May pull the trigger on that one next weekend.

I use those filters too and I use their cartridges until they fall apart. I have not bought a filter pad in a year. lol

However I do buy the large Aquaclear sponges and stuff them in with the cartridges to extend their lifespan as a part of a slow conversion process I am doing with my filter media. I usually rinse off the sponges and barely have to touch the filter cartridges as they still look new because the sponges do most of the dirty work for them. However, if I need to cycle a new tank I can pull out one of those sponges and toss it in a new filter as an added benefit.

Smart. Although doesn't it slow the filter down, specially when they get heavy?

JRC3 wrote:When I ran the Marinland I cut away the fins and charcoal and ran it for a long time. It is still around and I will re-use the same cartridge need be. As I recall they have two slots so you can run two cartrideg.
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk16 ... CI0577.jpg



Pull the trigger on the setup with the Fluval canister. I'm guessing good old Craigslist? I've purchased some killer deals on there.

Ha ha ha you got me.

Although its Kijiji instead of Craigslist. Wasn't that impressed with the stores today so trawled the internet when I got back. Has some height so I will have to really work on decoration.

Flutter wrote:Oh I much prefer Edinburgh. Montreal has a reputation for some rather rude people and I haven't had any experiences that have told me differently. I hear there's some awesome smoked meat places in Montreal though I'm in Ontario, 6-7 hours away.

Quebec on the whole can be a bit hoity toity, but I find Montreal to be a fun and inviting place, and yes, good smoked meat! Really good dining actually, one of my fav things about the city.

A bit of clarification: Filters do not often remove anything from the water. People often do not realize that. Biofilters change toxic metabolites such as ammonia and nitrite to nitrate, which is much less toxic, but it still must be removed and diluted by water changes. Mechanical filters trap and hold organic smallish solids and particulates, but if those are not removed by rinsing, they will be acted on by bacteria, fungi, infusoria and thus recycled into the tank water as well. The longer the intervals between filter flushes/rinses/cleaning, the higher the added biomass and dissolved organic compounds (DOCs) which we cannot measure by hobby tests. We use nitrate titer as an overall indicator of water pollution solely because we can measure it, and we cannot measure the myriad DOCs in the water or the general mineral build-up from evaporation.

Vacuuming and filter rinses remove solids and undissolved materials. water changes dilute out dissolved material from metabolites. The two process are equally required to do the whole job. Heavily planted tanks also export sequestered material with removed plant mass. Keeping water parameters as close as possible to the original (source) water is key to long-lived and healthy fish and tanks. No single process short of flow-through systems can do the job alone. Detoxified metabolites and trapped organics in/on filter pads are still in the system. If those are not removed, the entire system degenerates.

HTH

I put some rock in the tank yesterday afternoon, gave them a quick boil before doing so. The fish got lethargic after, perching on a tree root. He ate well later so I thought maybe he was just freaked out with the disruption.

This morning I found him in another crevice of the tree root, took me ages to locate him.

I removed the rock and did a 30% water change and he came out to play again. However, he seems to have damaged and lost most of his right pectoral fin.

I haven't seem him struggle with the current in the aquarium before but I am guessing he got into trouble with that somehow.

The only other thing I can think of is it could be something to do with PH swing caused by the rock?

PufferDek wrote:I put some rock in the tank yesterday afternoon, gave them a quick boil before doing so. The fish got lethargic after, perching on a tree root. He ate well later so I thought maybe he was just freaked out with the disruption.

This morning I found him in another crevice of the tree root, took me ages to locate him.

I removed the rock and did a 30% water change and he came out to play again. However, he seems to have damaged and lost most of his right pectoral fin.

I haven't seem him struggle with the current in the aquarium before but I am guessing he got into trouble with that somehow.

The only other thing I can think of is it could be something to do with PH swing caused by the rock?

My bad, it looks like he was holding his fin against his side. Definitely not himself though.

Be VERY careful about boiling rock, especially if it was previously live rock at any time.

Pufferpunk wrote:Be VERY careful about boiling rock, especially if it was previously live rock at any time.

Too late unfortunately, but why? A quick ten second flash to clean them, no?

Now he is in a bad way again, sitting at the bottom of the tank panting.