I am using some aquarium floss rubberbanded to the intake of my biofilteras a pre filter. I have twenty small holes drilled two inches up from the bottom of the intake. The problem is that after about six or seven days it clogs and won't draw water and the filter looses its prime. Even when the floss is brand new the flow rate is noticably deteriorated just because the media is so fine. I have started splitting the floss width wise and that helps a little but I was looking for a better solution that won't effect the flow rate. The cannister is a fluval 404. I tried a quickfilter for the 402 powerhead and the adapter was to large by about a millimeter. I was thinking of siliconing the adapter to the intake tube ( I think the quickfilter part will still disconnect) but short of this had no ideas. Anyone with suggestions?
Biofilter Intake
- Thread starter scott
- Start date
I think he's trying to prefilter his canister filter to delay the maintenece schedule, what I would recommend is using a coarser sponge to slip over your intake, something that's equivalent to aquaclear filter sponges, or you could even just buy one of those aquaclear sponges, cut a hole through it and slip it over the intake.
hth
hth
I am using the prefilter because the cannister is bio only, so I don't want any gunk down inside of it, so basicly not only delay but "eliminate" the maintenance schedule. I am not sure I understand the sponge suggestion. If I put a hole in ithe sponge it will not trap debris from coming in from the bottom only the sides and if I cut a piece of sponge to fit inside how will I get it out?
Look into FilterMaxIII. This was not available when the bio-only technique was first published, other than in too fine a porosity(FilterMaxI). The prefilter has to be rinsed routinely. Most folks can get away with weekly, but if the prefilter is overly fine, as with your floss, more often is needed.
http://www.aaquaria.com/aquasource/cannister.shtml
HTH
http://www.aaquaria.com/aquasource/cannister.shtml
HTH
As suggested, I would just cut an Aqua Clear sponge and place it the intake tube to prevent debris from getting to the filter. That is probably the easiest way to do it.
NJDF, can you pleas explain a little more. As I stated above I don't understand how that would work.
RTR thanks for the link, is this what you are talking about?
http://www.bigalsonline.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi
I couldn't find anything called filter max III. Another place to look?
RTR thanks for the link, is this what you are talking about?
http://www.bigalsonline.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi
I couldn't find anything called filter max III. Another place to look?
Ok, there is an intake tube where the water from the tank is sucked up and goes through the filter. If you put something infront of the intake tube like filter floss or filter media from an Aqua Clear filter(sponge), no gunk will go into the filter. Just buy a small Aqua clear sponge and wedge it into the intake. If it is too large to fit into the intake, then cut the sponge until it can fit in snuggly. There really isn't any easier way to explain it. It's like putting a screen infront of the hose of a vacuum, you will pick up little debris, but not bigger things as the screen would stop them from entering.
Just don't put the whole thing in in the first place. Leave enough sticking out so you can pull it out.