# Follow up from club meeting....



## marcio (Jan 18, 2011)

Hello everybody,

it was great meeting you today at the club meeting. I really appreciate the willingness to help and how you came with all those great ideas to save my setup so it can graduate from algae farm to an actual functional planted tank. You guys rock! 

So here's what I got as "next steps" based on your comments. Could you please check if that's right?

1) Add Hot Magnum or Fluval internal filter to work on the particulate and clean up the house. I am tending towards the internal simply because the canopy makes everything hanging outside a pain. Is that the right one?

http://www.amazon.com/Fluval-Plus-Internal-Filter-260/dp/B000256CHS

2) Use canister filter as a pure biological one - remove sponge, floss and add more biological media. Niko mentioned eheim media. what is the exact product (they have "pro' and other grades).

3) Reduce lighting regime from my 4 x 48'' T5 to 8 hours per day.

4) Dealing with the existing BBA: here I got a variety of advice, from "pile on shrimps" to "Excel" to "mechanical removal. All of the above?

5) water change regime: 15% every other day until algae crisis is over. treat incoming with prime (I rather treat "outside tank" for the time being).

Thanks!!!!!


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## Ekrindul (Jul 3, 2010)

1) or this: http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3579+3584+22037&pcatid=22037. I suggest the Magnum though, despite the pain, since it is only a temporary measure. I think the HOB will make the process go quicker since the internal will be harder to clean.

2) http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4136+8983&pcatid=8983

3) also, remove 2 bulbs

4) research each option and see which sounds right for you. There's lots of information about each method.


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

The micron filter:
I'm not familiar with the internal Fluval filter. Can it use a micron fabric in some way? I have a suspicion that it can't. In that case the only thing to do is somehow righ up the HOT Magnum.

The light:
His light may be wired in such a way that he must use 4 bulbs. Only 2 will not light up. Hope I'm wrong. If only 4 bulbs can be used then, as we discussed, it is a matter of reducing the light period.

The BBA:
As I told you - before you try anything else first make sure your tank is clean to the point where shaking the leaves or waving your hand under water stirs ZERO particles. Then see if BBA is still doing well.

--Nikolay


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## MacFan (Jul 30, 2006)

Biological media, the Eheim Pro is really good but expensive. I like the lava rock one they sell... very porous and seems really effective. I've also been switching my sponges to Poret foam which is quite nice, though if you're putting it in existing sponge filters, get larger pores so it doesn't clog quickly.

Almost nothing will eat the BBA. So you need to remove things that are covered completely. Things that can't be removed, spot-treat with Excel. Here is a thread exploring the subject: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/algae/20172-excel-treatment-bba-experiences.html

If you have green algae, a multi-day blackout is the easiest way to address those and totally harmless as long as you turn off the CO2 during.

My regular tanks are lit only 6-7 hrs a day now. I turn them on around 4-5pm and off at midnight. CO2 comes on at 3pm.

Michael


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## marcio (Jan 18, 2011)

Ok guys, so here's what I think we are talking about the HOT Magnum, right?

http://www.amazon.com/H-T-Magnum-Canister-Filter/dp/B000260FVQ/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

So here's what needs to happen for me to use the Magnum on my tank: I have to remove the canopy with the retrofit lights - so I need to find some sort of temporary lighting fixture for the 48'' tank. Any suggestions?

Having done that, and because I have no clearance on the back (too close to wall) and on the sides my tank has a funny "glass top", the Magnum would have to be positioned by the front-glass. A monstrosity, for sure, but I might be able to put up with it for a while.

Or, if I find an internal filter that can handle the micron media and work well, we can avoid all the above headaches. Anyone knows of an internal filter that can accept the micron media?

Another option - I have a utility pump with up to 800 gph or so - we fix it to the glass and we could create that "micron envelop" around the outtake - Niko, I believe you mentioned this "home made" solution. So all I needed to get was the micron media (large sheet and cut as needed). Any thoughts?


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## digital_gods (Apr 23, 2010)

A cheap way of microfiltering is to all polyester fill material into your filter. You can buy this in the cloth/quilting department at walmart for $3-4 per bag. A good chemical to add to clarification of your water is Clearity from Seachem. It will help bind the particulates for the filter to catch them. That chemical can be found at Petsmart.

I add the polyfill material into the top basket of my canister filter so I can easily pop off the top and change out the material weekly with out having to dig in the filter.


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## marcio (Jan 18, 2011)

Hi everybody,

thanks for all the good suggestions. Let me throw another option here: what about a canister filter dedicated to mechanical? I have space on the cabinet, out of the way once set up. I stumbled upon 
*Marineland MAGNUM 350 CANISTER FILTER*

that has the micron option. Anyone with first hand experience with this fellow?

http://www.amazon.com/Brand-Marinel...YUR2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1298948931&sr=8-1

Digital Gods,
would you say this polyfill material you recommend is comparable to micron filtering?


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## fishyjoe24 (May 18, 2010)

/\-- yep, I use that stuff in a hob filter with rubble rock on my saltwater tank, and helps alot...


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## digital_gods (Apr 23, 2010)

Fluval micro filtration inserts are the sheet version (used for quilts) of polyester material. If you ever get desperate for stuffing material, you can sacrifice cheap stuff animals for the cause.


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## fishyjoe24 (May 18, 2010)

those dogs are cool, am IK the only one who notices the duck. pizza party.


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## marcio (Jan 18, 2011)

there is this thread on plantedtank about walmart polyester stuff. So should I get both the sheet and the battling? both?

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/e...me-supply-polyester-batting-filter-floss.html


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

If you are putting the fiber fill near an impeller it may not be a good thing. It can get wrapped around, tangled in your impeller. Some fiberfill is treated to be fire retardant and/or sizing. Make sure you don't get that. Same thing with the quilt batting. The quilt batting is somewhat stuck together and does better around impellers.


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## digital_gods (Apr 23, 2010)

Tex Gal has a good point about getting caught in the impeller. With the Fluval and Ehiem using ceramic shafts, you don't want to get anything stuck in the impeller. That mistake could cost you $20-30 for replacement impeller shaft. On my setups, I place it into the media basket that will have a lid on it.

Also as Tex Gal mentioned, about it being treated, it is always just a good idea to rinse it off. Never know what could be on it from the manufacturing process.


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