Fluidized bed filter questions, comments.

[d_b]

I'm interested in these bed filters. Need opionions and concerns or what ever you have to say. :D I seen one set up at my LFS, however I didn't pay that close attention, now I read you need a separate pump ? How does this all go together ?

[a_free_bird73]

Out of curiosity what attracted you to them??

In a few words, they are the most suprior biological filter around with extremely high capacity when compared to their volume but they need a water pump that is a little more powerful than typically used by other filters. You must use another mechanical filter before the fluidized bed or it will clog up.

Having said that it is an overkill for most aquariums, but for large aquriums or ponds they can make the sump significantly smaller or you can get rid of the sump completely depending on your design...

[JamisonBWolsh]

I Have one on a 60 GALLON Tank. Works GREAT! I never have to worry about "destroying" the good bacteria in my emperor filter when its time to change/clean the filter. No Maintence and Fairly easy to setup. AND at big als, Is not that expensive to have.

[Sabrina]

jamison, which model do you have and what pump/powerhead do you use with it. i was thinking of one for a 150gallon tank.

[JamisonBWolsh]

Mine is rated lower, you would probably get the bigger version. I have the "Rainbow lifegard" Fluidized bed filter- this is KNown as the best fluidized bed filter out there. I run it off of a Maxi jet 1200 pump with a sponge attached to it. I have the 300 model. You would probably want the 600 version for 69.99 at www.bigalsonline.com . In the search field type in "fluidized bed filter" and it will come up.


PS. Rainbow Lifegard was bought out by another company. I dont know the name though, but its still sold under the Rainbow name. The company is WELL known to sell QUALITY aquarium products.

[JamisonBWolsh]

BTW,


When I say the "best", I say that because the design and features of this product is NICE. You can get the SAME process done by having a closed contained in it with sand and a current running through it (Thats what this is). Some poeple even build there own. But hey, 69.99 is a good deal for an already made 600 fluidized bed filter:

This is what the ad reads at bigals:

FLUIDIZED BED FILTER-MOD.#600 -



due to its unique shape and design this filter is extremely efficient...high capacity biological filter. this model includes all necessary fittings for installations. it features a flow control valve, check valve to prevent back siphoning, plus a hang on spring clip device. lifegard has a new design which lets it be mounted under the aquarium as well as off the back. it contains a bottom diffusor plate which lifts the sand bed evenly for perfect fluidization. this model is safe for fresh and salt water aquariums and is recommended for aquariums up to 300 us gallons.

[d_b]

Do you happen to have pic of how the pump connects into the bed filter ? Sounds like what I'm looking for, just not sure how it all goes together.:rolleyes:

[JamisonBWolsh]

Trust me.. ITS VERY EASY! Add the Maxi-jet ( a very good pump) to the tank, with a sponge (order from bigals). Then you add a clear flexable tube (comes with the rainbow bed filter) to the pump and the other side, to the filter. Thats it. The pump will pump the (filtered by the sponge) water into the fluidized bed and then the water goes through the bed (good bacteria cleaning the water) and out comes water that does not contain ammonia or nitrites.

VERY easy to setup! Of course you have to add the sand to the fluidized filter first..

bigals includes the sand free of charge

[JamisonBWolsh]

Oh...forgot.... I placed the pump at one end the the tank and the filter at the otherside, so it will suck up fresh tank water on one side and dump the "clean water" on the other side of the tank.

[d_b]

OK. More dumb questions. First what sponge did you order with this pump ? Also I take it that pump can be used without a undergravel filter ?

[Orbitorly]

I had a QuikSand filter on my 55 gal, it was a great biological filter, if you ask me not realy worth the money tho.

[JamisonBWolsh]

Search big als online for it. They sell the "sponge" (pretty much something that you place over the intake of the pump to filter out large particles). You dont really need to change it often.. just wash it.

As for do you need it or not? I guess not, but if you have a problem with your material hosting the good bacteria (change of filter pads), add any fish, or anythingt happens to your good bacteria, The fluidized bed filter is very good at bringing the levels of good bacteria back up. It also Stabilizes the Tank extremely well.. you will never see any levels of ammonia or nitrItes...

[Sabrina]

what pump would you recomend for the FB600 or even the 900?

[Alastair]

Personally, I have had bad experience with the Rainbow Lifeguard Fluid Bed filters, and could never recommend them to anyone. I have a retail store with approximately 7,500 gallons of water hooked into a handful of central filter systems. Our initial design was to use FB900's on a manifold to provide biological filtration. We had 12 of them all together.

The problem is this: when there is a power failure, water draining out of the unit carries sand with it, which jams in the hose. Fine sand packs very tightly, and even very large pumps cannot dislodge it once it has settled. The units feature a check valve which is supposed to prevent that, but we found in nearly every case the check valve was defective. In communications with Rainbow Lifeguard they admitted that this is in fact not an uncommon problem. Eventually we gave up and scrapped the units, choosing to replace them with large fiberglass units that I custom built for the purpose. Fluid bed filters really are simple to make, so if you are at all inclined to that kind of thing, I'd say give it a shot.

BTW, the company that bought Rainbow Lifeguard is Pentair Aquatics, a division of PAC-FAB, one of the largest swimming pool pump and equipment manufacturers in the world.

Hope this helps.

-- Alastair