Zero bypass filters

apastuszak

apastuszak

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Jun 2, 2015
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Bensalem, PA
www.stamphacks.com
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Is there a list anywhere of filters that have zero bypass or close to it?

As I read more and more reviews of filters, the amount of bypass some filter supposedly have is quite shocking.

I have a Fluval 305 right now, which has been working well enough. But I have read over a dozen reviews that claim, as the media clogs, the bypass on these models is anywhere from 40% to 65%.

I don't know how people figure this stuff out, but I'd be curious to know where I can find out this information, and if there is a reliable place to see bypass for different filters.
 
Never heard of or seen such a list. I'd think as media clogged, all filters would bypass to some extent.

Mark
 
Fluvals bypass how? I've had clogged filter media reduce flow to almost nil. Down far enough to not feel/see any movement 2 inches away from the spray bar. Normally the whole tank has a flow strong enough to make the plants blow in the current from the filter. Now it might depend on what you put in your filter, but my experience is that keeping media cleaned out is quite important because very little gets by otherwise.
 
SnakeIce said:
Fluvals bypass how? I've had clogged filter media reduce flow to almost nil. Down far enough to not feel/see any movement 2 inches away from the spray bar. Normally the whole tank has a flow strong enough to make the plants blow in the current from the filter. Now it might depend on what you put in your filter, but my experience is that keeping media cleaned out is quite important because very little gets by otherwise.
Click to expand...

My Fluval gets pretty clogged too, with significantly decreased water flow, but it never really gets less than about 50% of the water flow of a clean filter. I've left it running for 3 months without touching it and I still had flow, even though the pads were completely gunked up to the point where I couldn't see the surface of the pad through the gunk. So I think there's bypass around the sponges, but it looks to me like the water should make it through all the media baskets.
 
It is either a difference in the way you have packed your filter baskets or the design has changed. I put my sponges in the same basket and sandwiched them course to fine the way the water flows. The course ones hold the thinner fine ones in place so there is no blow by. That's how I had no flow with clogged media. Of course if they shorted you on the size of the media you might get that bypass flow.

I wonder if that was changed since I bought mine. When did you get yours? Mine is from 2003 or 4. Anyway I just run filter sponges in mine and if the fine filter section gets clogged it doesn't blow by the way I have mine packed.
 
SnakeIce said:
It is either a difference in the way you have packed your filter baskets or the design has changed. I put my sponges in the same basket and sandwiched them course to fine the way the water flows. The course ones hold the thinner fine ones in place so there is no blow by. That's how I had no flow with clogged media. Of course if they shorted you on the size of the media you might get that bypass flow.

I wonder if that was changed since I bought mine. When did you get yours? Mine is from 2003 or 4. Anyway I just run filter sponges in mine and if the fine filter section gets clogged it doesn't blow by the way I have mine packed.
Click to expand...

Ok, brain fart time... I thought all 4 sponges were the same, Are there coarse and fine sponges?
 
I know of 3 types and just have those three plus media bags of stuff I'm not using. The courser two are open cell foam type stuff with the course one being the thickest. The fine one is a felt like thick cloth that by itself could very well bend and let flow by. But I put them all in the top basket and the two foam inserts press the fine felt one up against the basket cap. I get some collection of mulm in the bottom of the filter box as well and I rinse that out when I clean the pads out.
 
SnakeIce said:
I know of 3 types and just have those three plus media bags of stuff I'm not using. The courser two are open cell foam type stuff with the course one being the thickest. The fine one is a felt like thick cloth that by itself could very well bend and let flow by. But I put them all in the top basket and the two foam inserts press the fine felt one up against the basket cap. I get some collection of mulm in the bottom of the filter box as well and I rinse that out when I clean the pads out.
Click to expand...

The Fluval doesn't have any foam or floss in the media baskets. It has 4 rectangular foam pads that run the length of the filter from top to bottom and is inserted perpendicular to the media baskets.
 
apastuszak said:
Ok, brain fart time... I thought all 4 sponges were the same, Are there coarse and fine sponges?
Click to expand...

The brain fart is mine. I'm remembering that I once had a fluval on a past 75, and talking like it is the same as my current canister filter, a RenaFilstar.

How long do I have to wait to apply for my old fogie card?o_O
 
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