Filtatration

[Denise]

Hi everyone,
Just bought Elite 350l tank and has filtration system new to me-consists of
Boyu SP 1800 pump in tank which pulls water out into a trough in hood. This
trough has 3 sections and one exit hole for water to recycle back into tank.
At the moment as sold all three sections have the same filtration material,
I think it's called microcotton. My question is should these three sections
have different filter material, and if so, what?

TIA
Denise

[Paul]

Hi Denise,
I'm only replying because this is a very low traffic group, as I have
only been into Aquariums since 2002, a nu-bea. I'm from the US, you
appear to be from across the pond. Hi Tony :)

Wow, Google sure didn't give me much info return on on the products
you posted (German maybe?). Did you buy it new?

Anyway, as with any 3 chamber (multi chamber) filters; It is likely
that you could put carbon in one of the compartments, and Bio Max in
another. However, folks now days usualy only use carbon if they are
removing meds (or other unusually problematic items) from the tank. Bio
Max ( ceramic Noodles )or the like... well, you can google Bio Max.
Here's a typical sale page for BioMax, from marinedepot.com.
http://tinyurl.com/2jgmk5

Or, again from marinedepot.com
Eheim EHFIMECH (Hollow Ceramic Rings) http://tinyurl.com/2uoq7r

I used to use the floss and some sort of ceramic noodles. But,
learning/evolution has me using primarily "open cell foam" for filter
material. I have found that the open cell foam is the easiest to handle,
easiest to clean, and lasts the longest. I buy the various sizes of the
sponges sold for the Aquaclear filters. The largest one, featured here
http://tinyurl.com/38kndh can be easily cut to fit manny applications.

Listening to the folks on the groups here (particularly back when
they were thriving) I deduced that it is optimal, for my set-up, to put
foam in the first two compartments and ceramic rings in the last
chamber. Then, during cleaning, clean the first foam really good (it's
gonna be the goopiest), use tank water of course. Move the second foam
filter to the first position (without cleaning it, To preserve the bio
mass ), and put the freshly cleaned foam in the second position.

HTH
Paul

Denise wrote:

> Hi everyone,
> Just bought Elite 350l tank and has filtration system new to me-consists of
> Boyu SP 1800 pump in tank which pulls water out into a trough in hood. This
> trough has 3 sections and one exit hole for water to recycle back into tank.
> At the moment as sold all three sections have the same filtration material,
> I think it's called microcotton. My question is should these three sections
> have different filter material, and if so, what?
>
> TIA
> Denise
>
>
>