HOB filters and sand

[67chevelle]

I have a 20g that I recently re-scaped with sand substrate.It has 1 penguin 350,and 1 penguin 200 running on it.It has been set up for a week now and the filters have become VERY noisy.I know it is from the sand.

So my question is,I was thinking of putting some filter floss in the intake strainers to act as a pre-filter before the sand and water hit the impellers.I know people have put things over the intake strainers,and I really don't like the look of it.Has anyone tried putting something in them to act as a pre-filter?

Another question is I have been thinking if I can't quiet the filters,I might get a canister for it.The problem is the tank sits on the bottom of a metal stand that has a 30g on top.Will a canister filter work if the tank only sits a few inches off the floor?

[SubRosa]

What kind of fish are in the tank? Large fish and sand is always a bad combination for the impellers on filters an pumps.The sand can't get in unless something stirs it up. Sponges are your best bet.

[67chevelle]

The tank has tetra and cories.The cories are the ones who stir up the sand.I have some sponge filters I can use,but really don't want to because the tank is overstocked,and I need to have some kind of mechanical filtration on it.Plus I don't want the sponge filters taking up room in the tank,and the are not being used right now so they are not cycled.

[CWO4GUNNER]

If the sand is new and composed more of stone then silica, it takes a little while for the sand to become less buoyant and saturated with water. My first new sand in my 60 tank was standard coarse riverbed sand and it would suspend and get into my filters easily for the first 3 months. After that it was fully saturated and has never gotten inside again even when I move ornaments.

Sand that is mostly made up of silica or glass sinks to the bottom like its no bodies business right away, even though silica sand its much finer then regular river stone sand it sinks fast while new river sand will actually float sometimes and certainly suspend and easily get into the filters for the first couple months.

[jrawebb83]

Could you custom fit some sponge or something to fit around the intakes of the penguins?

[67chevelle]

Could you custom fit some sponge or something to fit around the intakes of the penguins?


I know people have put things over the intake strainers,and I really don't like the look of it.
I know I can,but I'm trying to avoid it. It's a 20 gallon long,so it is a shallow tank,and the filters are already too obvious for my taste anyway.Putting pre-filter sponges on the the outside of the intakes will make them all the more obvious.

[mellowvision]

take a small circle of pantyhoes, and wrap the intake strainer with it, then tuck the end in where the strainer attaches to the down tube.

[67chevelle]

take a small circle of pantyhoes, and wrap the intake strainer with it, then tuck the end in where the strainer attaches to the down tube.
Thanks mellow,I had been considering that too.Will the pantyhose trap the fine sand well enough? I wasn't sure.

[67chevelle]

Another question is I have been thinking if I can't quiet the filters,I might get a canister for it.The problem is the tank sits on the bottom of a metal stand that has a 30g on top.Will a canister filter work if the tank only sits a few inches off the floor?
Can anyone answer this?

[fishorama]

I was told no, the canister must be below the tank bottom. The syphon would be very slow if it worked at all.

[67chevelle]

That what I was thinking too.
Thanks.

[stratusfearrr]

yes, just about every canister works by using a siphon. The filter must be completely below the water line. It'd be tough to run a canister. Another thing is that sometimes, the added surface agitation can cause the sand to be constantly stirred up. You could place some foam or filter floss on the output of both of those to reduce surface agitation.

And the panty-hose idea works. I had that to cover the strainer on my small 10 gal. with really little free swimmers, so they wouldny get sucked up. It works well.