Extra filter/Modifying current filter

dudley has it right. I have seen people use lava rock, like for grills or landscaping, broken into smaller pieces but not the sand...

If you just want more mechanical media in your filters you could use thinnish foam or stiff floss-like polyester (less dense than floss). Bacteria will colonize those too. Both are available in sheets that you cut to fit (I think). I have a poly sheet someone gave me but no packaging to help.

Do you really need more media?
 
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Although I disagree their use ... the reason for using a product which removes ammonia would be to decrease the amount of nitrate (less ammonia = less nitrate). However, these products are a waste of time and money IMO as they are more trouble than they are worth. Additionally, they remove other things like bicarbonate, eroding your alkalinity (lowering pH).
 
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when cleaning new activated carbon the water always becomes blackish, i've been rinsing it thoroughly for some time now but water still keeps darkening and tiny bits of carbon keep escaping the net it comes in. So my question is: should i still keep rinsing the carbon until the water is clear or am i over-rinsing the carbon and the darkening is what is beneficial and i'm just removing it?
 
this is how i customized my Aqueon 10

P_20200913_203209.jpg

is this fine or should i swap biomax with carbon?
 
That's an interesting mod for the Aqueon QuietFlow; may have to try that with my LED Pro 75 model...
 
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