Just curious, but where is the bio - media in these filters if you are constantly replacing the active carbon insert? I don't have one as my main filter but bought one to try to rid my tank of that ANNOYING cloudiness (5 weeks of it!!!). Needless to say it didn't work at all. I was just curious.
How do HOB filters work?
- Thread starter ggrowney
- Start date
Most folks here advocate leaving the carbon inserts in (or not using carbon at all) unless you are really trying to remove meds or something. I have put some extra foam in my HOBs as well as the filter stuff they came with.
I don't use carbon at all in my oscar tank, just the sponge part and biowheel and weekly water changes.
I do run it in my newer tanks, but I don't worry about replacing it...after the first few months, I run only the sponge. It's good for removing tannins/meds/other problems, but there's not much need for it otherwise imo.
I do run it in my newer tanks, but I don't worry about replacing it...after the first few months, I run only the sponge. It's good for removing tannins/meds/other problems, but there's not much need for it otherwise imo.
bacteria will colonize any oxygen and food (well, the stages of nitrogen in this case)rich surface area, and some will(denitrifying) colonize only oxygen defficient surface area.
The vast, vast majority of the biological filtration in your tanks occurs on the glass, rocks, decorations, etc... That slimey stuff you think you want to scrub off? That's your bacteria colony.. Biowheels, noodles and all that other stuff is just clever marketing to get your money. You don't NEED any of it. Not saying it's bad, or that it doesn't work, but your tank will find it's own balance point without the gimmicks.
