Question on Changing Filter Types

Came home to find all my fish at the top of the tank again and the filter
not working. Second time in three months. Filter motor was so hot I could
barely touch it. Fire hazard IMO. So I decided to change filters. The tank
is a 20 gal with mollies, swords, loaches, a plec, tetras and a couple of
others. I was using an Aqua Clear 20 gal power filter. Last time I replaced
the filter I threw away the sponge and was told by this group that this was
a big no no. Well I have changed filter types to the Aqua Tech 20-40 Bio
Power Filter. No sponge in this filter. Since there is no sponge with the
(microbes?) needed to replace in the Aqua Tech, what do you do?

"JeffinMS" wrote in message
...
Came home to find all my fish at the top of the tank again and the filter
not working. Second time in three months. Filter motor was so hot I could
barely touch it. Fire hazard IMO. So I decided to change filters.

I don't know if this applies to all tank filters but my Aquaclears need to
have the scum removed from the impeller well and impeller magnet at least
monthly. If I forget and there's a power outage even for a few seconds many
will not restart. A clean well and impeller magnet starts every time.

The tank
is a 20 gal with mollies, swords, loaches, a plec, tetras and a couple of
others. I was using an Aqua Clear 20 gal power filter. Last time I
replaced the filter I threw away the sponge and was told by this group
that this was a big no no. Well I have changed filter types to the Aqua
Tech 20-40 Bio Power Filter. No sponge in this filter. Since there is no
sponge with the (microbes?) needed to replace in the Aqua Tech, what do
you do?

Sorry... can't help you there. All we have are Aquaclears (and some are over
10 years old).
--
KL....
Aquariums since 1952.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö ~~~~ }((((({*

just stuff the sponges somewhere inside the new filter for a while... or at
least wring them out into it!

Cheers

Richard

"JeffinMS" wrote in message
...
Came home to find all my fish at the top of the tank again and the filter
not working. Second time in three months. Filter motor was so hot I could
barely touch it. Fire hazard IMO. So I decided to change filters. The tank
is a 20 gal with mollies, swords, loaches, a plec, tetras and a couple of
others. I was using an Aqua Clear 20 gal power filter. Last time I
replaced
the filter I threw away the sponge and was told by this group that this
was
a big no no. Well I have changed filter types to the Aqua Tech 20-40 Bio
Power Filter. No sponge in this filter. Since there is no sponge with the
(microbes?) needed to replace in the Aqua Tech, what do you do?

JeffinMS wrote:
Came home to find all my fish at the top of the tank again and the filter
not working. Second time in three months. Filter motor was so hot I could
barely touch it. Fire hazard IMO. So I decided to change filters. The tank
is a 20 gal with mollies, swords, loaches, a plec, tetras and a couple of
others. I was using an Aqua Clear 20 gal power filter. Last time I replaced
the filter I threw away the sponge and was told by this group that this was
a big no no. Well I have changed filter types to the Aqua Tech 20-40 Bio
Power Filter. No sponge in this filter. Since there is no sponge with the
(microbes?) needed to replace in the Aqua Tech, what do you do?

As a big believer in filter redundancy in ALL aquariums I maintain, I
would strongly suggest a sponge filter to compliment your AquaTech. the
AquaTech is agood mechanical and chemical filter, but a poor bio
filter- which is most important. Sponge filters (properly cared for)
give you some of the best bio filtration for the price.
Here is further information about sponge filtration:
http://spongefilter.blogspot.com/

Carl

carlrs wrote:


As a big believer in filter redundancy in ALL aquariums I maintain, I
would strongly suggest a sponge filter to compliment your AquaTech. the
AquaTech is agood mechanical and chemical filter, but a poor bio
filter- which is most important. Sponge filters (properly cared for)
give you some of the best bio filtration for the price.
Here is further information about sponge filtration:
http://spongefilter.blogspot.com/

Carl

I love sponge filters!
They are a lifesaver (literally) for fry.
I have even made my own for Betta fry tanks out of pvc pipe and "clean"
sponges. By clean I mean not used, and NO chemicals in them. Your
average dish sponge has toxic chemicals in it and cannot be used.
I made my own because I got tired of the ones in the shops you can buy
that tend to float up.
They're also a great thing to "seed" a new tank and add the benificial
bacteria to it.

Tynk wrote:

I love sponge filters!
They are a lifesaver (literally) for fry.
I have even made my own for Betta fry tanks out of pvc pipe and "clean"
sponges. By clean I mean not used, and NO chemicals in them. Your
average dish sponge has toxic chemicals in it and cannot be used.
I made my own because I got tired of the ones in the shops you can buy
that tend to float up.
They're also a great thing to "seed" a new tank and add the benificial
bacteria to it.


Please tell me what type of sponges I need to look for in the stores.

« Grìffîñ » wrote:
Tynk wrote:

I love sponge filters!
They are a lifesaver (literally) for fry.
I have even made my own for Betta fry tanks out of pvc pipe and "clean"
sponges. By clean I mean not used, and NO chemicals in them. Your
average dish sponge has toxic chemicals in it and cannot be used.
I made my own because I got tired of the ones in the shops you can buy
that tend to float up.
They're also a great thing to "seed" a new tank and add the benificial
bacteria to it.


Please tell me what type of sponges I need to look for in the stores.

Make sure you use reticulated filter foam, as this type is much more
porous, trapping larger bacterial colonies and lasts longer. The better
manufactured ones are made from this (but not all).

Carl

"« Grìffîñ »" wrote in message
...

Please tell me what type of sponges I need to look for in the stores.
===========
I like the ones made for Aquaclear filters. I use them over the filter
intakes to prevent small fish and large particles from getting sucked into
the impeller well. I'm sure they also act as biological filters since water
is constantly passing through them.
--
KL....
Aquariums since 1952.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö ~~~~ }((((({*

« Grìffîñ » wrote:
Tynk wrote:

I love sponge filters!
They are a lifesaver (literally) for fry.
I have even made my own for Betta fry tanks out of pvc pipe and "clean"
sponges. By clean I mean not used, and NO chemicals in them. Your
average dish sponge has toxic chemicals in it and cannot be used.
I made my own because I got tired of the ones in the shops you can buy
that tend to float up.
They're also a great thing to "seed" a new tank and add the benificial
bacteria to it.


Please tell me what type of sponges I need to look for in the stores.

I will often just buy a replacement sponge at a local shop and then cut
it to fit the filter.
Shops seem to have a lot of different sizes these days to choose from.
There weren't so many around when I made my own, so it's so much easier
to find new sponges.
Especially these days with the anti mildew chemicals that are put in a
lot of sponges you find at the hardware / grocery stores.

Tynk wrote:
« Grìffîñ » wrote:
Tynk wrote:
I love sponge filters!
They are a lifesaver (literally) for fry.
I have even made my own for Betta fry tanks out of pvc pipe and "clean"
sponges. By clean I mean not used, and NO chemicals in them. Your
average dish sponge has toxic chemicals in it and cannot be used.
I made my own because I got tired of the ones in the shops you can buy
that tend to float up.
They're also a great thing to "seed" a new tank and add the benificial
bacteria to it.

Please tell me what type of sponges I need to look for in the stores.

I will often just buy a replacement sponge at a local shop and then cut
it to fit the filter.
Shops seem to have a lot of different sizes these days to choose from.
There weren't so many around when I made my own, so it's so much easier
to find new sponges.
Especially these days with the anti mildew chemicals that are put in a
lot of sponges you find at the hardware / grocery stores.

I gather that I'm going to have to SWAG my own sponge design.
(scientific wild ass guess)