Question About Eclipse 12 Filtration

[Twiz]

Hi all,

An Eclipse 12 tank I bought comes with "in hood" filtration and appears to only have room for the charcoal/sponge cartridge that comes with it. Since when you replace the charcoal you have to replace the sponge (attached all in one piece) I am curious how I might go about setting up some biological filtration that I wouldn't have to destroy every 3-4 weeks.

Any suggestions?

 

[NeonJulie]

Does your Eclipse 12 have a biowheel that spins, like mine? (I'm pretty sure it's standard.) If so, and it remains undamaged/uncontaminated, you should never have to buy a new one and replace it.

A new school of thought brought to me from these boards is that many people continue using their filters by rinsing them in tank water (which has been declorinated). Until they fall apart, and then they're replaced. I'm sure this, combined with the bio wheel (where the majority of it lives), and the gravel/substrate where some also lives, it could absorb the loss of the charcoal filter once in a while.

 

[Twiz]

LoL sure does...don't know what I was thinking. I guess because I've never used a bio-wheel before I didn't even think about it. My bigger tank I use 2 Aquaclear 50s and use ceramic rings. Thanks for the respsonse!!