I'm going to be running a couple of Oase Biomaster Thermo 350s on a new tank. Disassembling the filters now and it seems it might be a good idea to replace some of the sponges with more biomedia. I mean, I realize the sponges also act as biomedia, but with all those sponges and only one basket of "noodles" (do they still call them that?) it seems flow might get restricted quickly. I was thinking of keeping the top two sponges (one coarse, one fine) and then filling the bottom three baskets with their plastic biomedia. Anyone else here use these filters and have any input here?
Oase Biomaster Filter Media
- Thread starter Jurupari Man
- Start date
I haven't kept up on different make/models of filters lately, but that oase is a new one to me. Had to look it up. A little beyond my pay grade in terms of cost. I've never spent beyond $100 for any canister or HOB.
I'd gear the type and staging of the media to my stocking level. On my 4 stage canister, I keep two trays loaded with sponge and the other two with noodles, balls and seachem matrix. I only need to open and clean my canisters every 6 months.
I'd gear the type and staging of the media to my stocking level. On my 4 stage canister, I keep two trays loaded with sponge and the other two with noodles, balls and seachem matrix. I only need to open and clean my canisters every 6 months.
That Oase looks nice with a built in heater. In my canisters I do pretty much like Freshy does. I haven't used plastic media (do you mean hollow balls?). Mostly I just use 2 grades of sponges, ceramics & sometimes finer batting type polyester or floss that clogs pretty fast. Like Joel, I like to be able to wait quite a while before I clean my canisters, it's a PITA. I also use prefilter sponges over the intakes to catch a lot of the "bigger debris". Those generally need to be rinsed & squeezed (a lot!) in running tap water every 2 weeks or so, much easier than cleaning the canister.
Yes, I always used ceramic noodles in all baskets of Fluvals/Eheims and then maybe a sponge in the top basket. WIth the Oase, I decided to fill the bottom three baskets with their plastic noodles (it's their own type of media I guess, but they are just little plastic things that look essentially like plastic mesh cylinders. Haven't set the tank up yet, but my guess is I'll end up replacing at least one of the other sponges as well, as there are also prefilter sponges in a removable cartridge. I'll just see how it goes. But I have high hopes for the canisters - nice to have the heater in the filter (kinda like having a sump).
I will not use filters which have a heater inside for any number of reasons. I use Hydor inline heaters with my Eheim canisters of which have 3 running, one for almost 19 years. I want media in filters and not heaters taking up space. It also means one needs the manufacturers heater to replace a broken one or else you give up the in filter part. I use all Eheim Pro II canisters which offer an in filter heater model as well. I passed on that.
The last of the three was set up most recently, bettween 4 and 5 years ago. It has only one media in it, Poret 20 ppi foam. No noodles, no bio-media, no floss. I consulted with Stephan, the owner of Swiss Tropicals, who sells the Poret. I told him I normally cleaned my two going canisters twice a year, How often should I clean the new one. He told me, clean it when you notice the outflow from the spraybar has slowed. #.5 years later I cleaned it. Now I will admit that it is on a well planted 75 gal. tank which also has an AquaClear 300 (aka 70) on it as well.
I have been switching over to the Poret which is a rigid porosity controlled foam. I use it both for Mattenfilters and instead of typical sponges ( I have replaced my sponge filters with the cubes). My tanks stay super clean because most mechanical waste is organic and can be broken down to some extent by living microorganisms, i.e..biologically. I have a lot of Aquaclears and as their sponges die, I repalce them with the Poret. I use the 10 ppi to make intake pre-filters, I chose to use Poret, but there are other brands of rigid pore controlled foam available.
The last of the three was set up most recently, bettween 4 and 5 years ago. It has only one media in it, Poret 20 ppi foam. No noodles, no bio-media, no floss. I consulted with Stephan, the owner of Swiss Tropicals, who sells the Poret. I told him I normally cleaned my two going canisters twice a year, How often should I clean the new one. He told me, clean it when you notice the outflow from the spraybar has slowed. #.5 years later I cleaned it. Now I will admit that it is on a well planted 75 gal. tank which also has an AquaClear 300 (aka 70) on it as well.
I have been switching over to the Poret which is a rigid porosity controlled foam. I use it both for Mattenfilters and instead of typical sponges ( I have replaced my sponge filters with the cubes). My tanks stay super clean because most mechanical waste is organic and can be broken down to some extent by living microorganisms, i.e..biologically. I have a lot of Aquaclears and as their sponges die, I repalce them with the Poret. I use the 10 ppi to make intake pre-filters, I chose to use Poret, but there are other brands of rigid pore controlled foam available.
That's interesting about the heaters, TTA. I hadn't thought about the replacement issue & we all know heaters are probably the least reliable of any of our hobby equipment. I had thought of trying Hydor inlines at 1 time but don't currently heat any of my tanks. I like the idea of getting "stuff" out of the tank, it can be hard to hide...& I can be "suction cup challenged" at times.
Many of my planty friends use an Eheim heater in a co2 reactor but there's still that reliability thing...even good old green top Eheims die.
Many of my planty friends use an Eheim heater in a co2 reactor but there's still that reliability thing...even good old green top Eheims die.
The heater in the Oase does not take up that much space and there is plenty of room inside for biomedia. It's a very good design. I've used plenty of Eheims and Fluvals over the past 25 years and I'd say the amount of media in the Oase is equal to if not greater than what those other filters provided. I haven't tested this heater over time, but unless it's of crappy quality (which I doubt) I have no problem replacing it with the same type in the future. That said, I'm sure the inline heaters are a good solution as well, though I've never tried one.
Well, if you are familiar with Eheims, you know they last a real long time. Not all replacement parts remain available for as long as some things last.
Over the years I have used a lot of different heater brands. None of them doesn't fail. I have had two heaters the same brand and type where one still works after over 15 years and the other crapped out in two. I have seen a line of heaters recalled. None of my Hydors has failed, yet. But my first is going after 18 years I think paired with the same Eheim canister the whole time. maybe they have something going on between them
I only use Eheim canisters.
Heaters in tank create water movement. I place many of mine horizontally along the back glass and low down. I never turn them off when doing water changes as they are blow the level to which the tanks are emptied. Because the water in a tank is colder at the bbootom than at the surface, my placement means the heater warms cooler water which rise towards to surface as a result, This creates some level of flow from the bottom up. it also makes it easier to hide the heater.
I will admit that if I kept an oscar I might prefer having an in filter heater, or at least an out of the tank one like a Hydor inline if possible.
Over the years I have used a lot of different heater brands. None of them doesn't fail. I have had two heaters the same brand and type where one still works after over 15 years and the other crapped out in two. I have seen a line of heaters recalled. None of my Hydors has failed, yet. But my first is going after 18 years I think paired with the same Eheim canister the whole time. maybe they have something going on between them
I only use Eheim canisters.
Heaters in tank create water movement. I place many of mine horizontally along the back glass and low down. I never turn them off when doing water changes as they are blow the level to which the tanks are emptied. Because the water in a tank is colder at the bbootom than at the surface, my placement means the heater warms cooler water which rise towards to surface as a result, This creates some level of flow from the bottom up. it also makes it easier to hide the heater.
I will admit that if I kept an oscar I might prefer having an in filter heater, or at least an out of the tank one like a Hydor inline if possible.
Oh I love Eheims and have used them quite a bit over the past 25 years. I have had a few of them fail, but overall they are aces in my book. I have only just purchased these two Oase canisters, so who knows - they may disappoint me. But regardless, the design is sleek and smart and I am cautiously optimistic that I will be very pleased with them. Hopefully I haven't just jinxed myself!
I have indeed had big cichlids break heaters, so that played into this decision as well, but it's mostly an esthetic thing. Plus my heaters get only very minimal use - our apartment never gets very cool. I had a 330g tank for 10 years here that ran the entire time without a heater at all and never dipped below 77 degrees. Running two big Red Dragon pumps provided all the heat I needed!
Hopefully I haven't just jinxed myself!I have indeed had big cichlids break heaters, so that played into this decision as well, but it's mostly an esthetic thing. Plus my heaters get only very minimal use - our apartment never gets very cool. I had a 330g tank for 10 years here that ran the entire time without a heater at all and never dipped below 77 degrees. Running two big Red Dragon pumps provided all the heat I needed!
