# [Wet Thumb Forum]-Filters, ich, and turbidity



## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Last month I purchased a filter that seemed to help out very much in curing a nasty case of resistant ich.... without medications. I used the filter to help remove the ich cysts and swarmers in my hospital tanks.

Now I've bought a couple more filters, and they are also doing a fabulous job of cleaning up the turbidity after I move plants around.

Filter is the Aquaclear Power Head (Model 301) with it's matching Aqua Clear "Quick Filter". The PowerHeads are designed for undergravel filters, but the "Quick Filter" cartridge makes them an _excellent_ mechanical filter. The cartridge cylinders, which are 7' high and 2.5 inches wide are advertised as removing particles down to 1 micron, which is really small.

As to ich treatment and how the filter cartridge helped. The ich cysts are 1,000 microns, the pimples of which you can see on an infected fish. The ich swarmers, which infect the fish, are 30 microns. If the cartridge is filtering out 1 micron particles, you can see how it might help with ich in the treatment tank. For 6 days until all spots were gone, I moved fish to a chloroxed tank every 24 hours and sterilized the filter pad every 12 hours to keep fish from being re-infected. Then I moved fish back to original tank; swarmers die in 3 days if they don't have fish host and you keep temp at 80F.

As to routine filtration, the 301 model filter with cartridge in my new 55 gal is doing great.

I've also just replaced the canister filter in my 45 gal with the 402 model, which has a little stronger flow (270 gal/h). Filter cleaned up the turbidity in about an hour after I messed up the tank digging around in the soil. Usually, tank doesn't clear up until next day.

Note: The 301 and 402 models, either of which I think is fine for a 50 to 55 gal, take different cartridges. I had to use a 3 inch section of 3/4 inch diameter vinyl tubing (Home Depot) to attach the 301 model cartridge to the 402 model power head. Cartridge designed to fit the 402 may be harder to find.

Why I already like the powerhead cartridge filters better than my canisters:


Much cheaper

No hoses, cut-off valves, leaky connections to mess with

No possibility of leaking water onto floor

Better removal of small particles (cartridge design is lovely)

No downside of bacteria in the canister going anaerobic and killing fish (I discussed this potential problem in an earlier folder)

Easy to clean. Just remove the cartridge from the powerhead....very easy. I've found that I can reuse the polyester pad by just squeezing it under the faucett several times.

My experience has been that a planted tank with a soil substrate doesn't need a filter for biological filtration. However, its very nice to have good mechanical filtration. I'd recommend these filters for larger tanks (40 gals and up). The cartridge is a little big to be aestheticaly pleasing for the smaller tanks.


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Last month I purchased a filter that seemed to help out very much in curing a nasty case of resistant ich.... without medications. I used the filter to help remove the ich cysts and swarmers in my hospital tanks.

Now I've bought a couple more filters, and they are also doing a fabulous job of cleaning up the turbidity after I move plants around.

Filter is the Aquaclear Power Head (Model 301) with it's matching Aqua Clear "Quick Filter". The PowerHeads are designed for undergravel filters, but the "Quick Filter" cartridge makes them an _excellent_ mechanical filter. The cartridge cylinders, which are 7' high and 2.5 inches wide are advertised as removing particles down to 1 micron, which is really small.

As to ich treatment and how the filter cartridge helped. The ich cysts are 1,000 microns, the pimples of which you can see on an infected fish. The ich swarmers, which infect the fish, are 30 microns. If the cartridge is filtering out 1 micron particles, you can see how it might help with ich in the treatment tank. For 6 days until all spots were gone, I moved fish to a chloroxed tank every 24 hours and sterilized the filter pad every 12 hours to keep fish from being re-infected. Then I moved fish back to original tank; swarmers die in 3 days if they don't have fish host and you keep temp at 80F.

As to routine filtration, the 301 model filter with cartridge in my new 55 gal is doing great.

I've also just replaced the canister filter in my 45 gal with the 402 model, which has a little stronger flow (270 gal/h). Filter cleaned up the turbidity in about an hour after I messed up the tank digging around in the soil. Usually, tank doesn't clear up until next day.

Note: The 301 and 402 models, either of which I think is fine for a 50 to 55 gal, take different cartridges. I had to use a 3 inch section of 3/4 inch diameter vinyl tubing (Home Depot) to attach the 301 model cartridge to the 402 model power head. Cartridge designed to fit the 402 may be harder to find.

Why I already like the powerhead cartridge filters better than my canisters:


Much cheaper

No hoses, cut-off valves, leaky connections to mess with

No possibility of leaking water onto floor

Better removal of small particles (cartridge design is lovely)

No downside of bacteria in the canister going anaerobic and killing fish (I discussed this potential problem in an earlier folder)

Easy to clean. Just remove the cartridge from the powerhead....very easy. I've found that I can reuse the polyester pad by just squeezing it under the faucett several times.

My experience has been that a planted tank with a soil substrate doesn't need a filter for biological filtration. However, its very nice to have good mechanical filtration. I'd recommend these filters for larger tanks (40 gals and up). The cartridge is a little big to be aestheticaly pleasing for the smaller tanks.


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## Roger Miller (Jun 19, 2004)

They are my favorite filter, too. I have them on 6 of my 7 tanks. They're useful even in a tank that already has a filter; they're great at polishing the water.

Hagen used to make a 5" inch model that would fit into a 10 gallon tank. You can still get the filters the smaller cartridge, but I understand that they stopped making the cartridge itself.

To clean the filters I wash them under running water, beat them against the side of the sink to dislodge gunk and wash them some more. Then I boil them, which returns the filter to its original "fluffy" state. After boiling I wash them again and then bleach them. The life expectancy of the filter treated this way is at least a year.

Recently some of the filters have plugged very quickly so I'm starting to wonder if something might eventually build up in them that clogs the inner felt layer of the filter.


Roger Miller


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## nativeplanter (Jan 27, 2004)

If only I had tried this recently during an ich outbreak! There is always the debate regarding which medication won't damage plants, and I wound up loosing many fish.

The powerhead/pre-filter is now on my shopping list so that I have it on hand in the future.

Roger - I wonder if soaking those clogged filters in a super-strong solution of oxyclean (or similar) would help get out the remaining gunk. People in the wine hobby use a similar (perhaps food grade?) product for removing sludge from the bottom of wine bottles before re-using them. I used the oxy-clean for that purpose once, and it worked like a charm.

-Laura


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## Roger Miller (Jun 19, 2004)

Thanks Laura. I think we even have Oxy-clean. It came along with the need to get my teenage daughters' red and purple hair dyes out of the carpet.

I was thinking back trying to remember just how long the filter inserts have lasted. If memory serves (Which it often doesn't. That's something else I can try to blame on teenage daughters) I added the first 5" filters to my 10-gallon tanks in 2001. I think I'm still using some of those original filters. The 7" filters are a little newer. I've probably had them since late in 2001. I've bought a few since then so that I can have extras.

I can remember throwing away only 3 filters; one because the outer floss covering separated from the inner felt layer and the other two because I left them in a pot of boiling water so long that the water boiled dry. The filters burned; it smelled terrible and damaged the pan -- the French-made, porcelain-coated cast iron pan. Ouch.


Roger Miller


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## Wally (Aug 31, 2003)

Roger,

I would be a dead man if I did that to my wife's pans









but then again, I still get blamed for every bug in the house because I raised wingless fruit flies 4 years ago, and that was in another house, in another state.


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## Roger Miller (Jun 19, 2004)

Wally, it sounds to me like you're getting a raw deal. You need someone you can divert the blame to. In my house with 3 teenagers and 4 cats I get to spread the blame around a lot









Roger Miller


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## kazador (Feb 24, 2004)

regarding the use of the "quick filter" about how many would be required to filter a 75 gal fish and plant tank? i'm thinking about putting 2 "power sweep" power heads with auto rotating output nozzles in the back corners of the tank to create ever changing currents, with "quick filter" filters attached. 



75 gal, 220 PC lights, rainbows and plants, potting soil substrata


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

> quote:
> 
> Originally posted by native planter:
> If only I had tried this recently during an ich outbreak! There is always the debate regarding which medication won't damage plants, and I wound up loosing many fish.
> -Laura


As to ich, a few more details. Ich blossomed suddenly on all Rainbowfish two weeks after I introduced a newly purchased fish into my 50 gal tank (I should have taken my own advice about quarantining fish for at least two weeks).









I'm sure that the newly purchased fish brought it into the tank. The new fish could have been carrying one little cyst in her gills where I couldn't see it. She probably was a lot more resistant to ich than my fish, which have never had it.

I wasted a precious week treating the tank with quinine HCl, malachit green, formalin, high temp. None of this stuff prevented re-infestation with new swarmers.

My "elbow grease" method was a modification of the "transfer treatment" method described in Tetra's little book "Fish Diseases". The hospital tanks I moved fish into every 24 hours for 6 days were totally bare except for the cartridge filter and a heater. The high current (generated by the powerhead) probably also helped, because the cysts apparently must settle and attach to a solid object before they can develop and release their little bundle (300-1000 infective swarmers) 8- 12 hours later.


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## Wally (Aug 31, 2003)

> quote:
> 
> Originally posted by Roger Miller:
> Wally, it sounds to me like you're getting a raw deal. You need someone you can divert the blame to. In my house with 3 teenagers and 4 cats I get to spread the blame around a lot
> ...


Roger,

I have two kids a boy 7 and a girl 5 yet when I try and blame them I just get blamed more









but hey I have been on a business trip for the last few days and will not be home until Sat. Night so at least we can skip the blame game for a few days


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## imported_timlawyer (Jul 14, 2003)

> quote:
> 
> Originally posted by Diana Walstad:
> Last month I purchased a filter that seemed to help out very much in curing a nasty case of resistant ich.... without medications. I used the filter to help remove the ich cysts and swarmers in my hospital tanks.


I have a Magnum HOT filter which has a cartridge element similar to the Aquaclear. I learned an interesting trick which allows you to use a cartridge filter as D.E. (diatomaceous earth) filter for super fine water polishing. Here's the method: Take a bucket and fill it 2/3rds of the way with water. Add in about a 1/2 cup of DE (if you have a pool or neighbor with a pool that uses DE filters, you should be able to get some for free - otherwise check your LFS) and mix it until the water is thoroughly cloudy. Then stick in the filter and run it until the water is clear. At this point the cartridge filter is "loaded" with the DE. Now - take it off (don't clean the filter) and put it into your tank. You will be amazed at the level of water clarity.


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## Roger Miller (Jun 19, 2004)

I thought the Magnum HOT used the same pleated filter that is used by the other Magnum filters. It isn't at all like the filter insert in a Quickfilter. The Quickfilter insert doesn't use DE to get it's polishing act done. It's also more cleanable and less expensive than the pleated filter.


Roger Miller


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## imported_timlawyer (Jul 14, 2003)

Hmmm...I thought the Quickfilter was made of the same material as the Magnum filter - I will have to check it out again...it sounds a lot better than the Magnum. Does it filter with the same consistency as DE - is it even better? Thanks for the clarification.


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## Roger Miller (Jun 19, 2004)

The Quickfilter insert is a layer of fiber bonded to a layer of felt. The felt gives it a nominal 1-micron filter size. The filter insert is formed into a sleeve that fits over a slotted cylinder. The insert assembly slips into a cage-like holder. One end of the holder has a blank end cap and the other fits onto a powerhead intake. There's an insert on that end that can be taken out to fit to larger powerheads.

I have 4 or 5 of the pleated Magnum filters in various states of break down. They are either plugged or the filter material is torn. The last time I bought one it was $13.00. I determined then that they were a remarkable waste of money. I have a Magnum 350 and found that filter floss stuffed into the media chamber was *way* more cost-effective than the pleated filters.


Roger Miller


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Roger,

Thanks for the explanation about "Quick Filter" construction. I was a little dubious when the ad for the Quick Filter said it filtered down to one micron size. Now from what you've written and what I've seen, I'm more convinced. Water in my tanks have never been cleaner. 

For the ich treatment, I cleaned filters several times in dilute chlorox. They do seem sturdy enough to last a year.

One micron pore-size is really small (Our lab uses filters with 0.22 and 0.45 micron-sized pores to filter out bacteria.) I wonder if filters would have any effect on green water algae?

I really like these filters.


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## aviel (Sep 12, 2004)

Hi Diana,

I am having a slight ich problem in my 200 gallons aquarium and since I have a vortex Diatom filter I thought I would give it a try.

Here's a quote from your routine:



> quote:
> 
> For 6 days until all spots were gone, I moved fish to a chloroxed tank every 24 hours and sterilized the filter pad every 12 hours to keep fish from being re-infected. Then I moved fish back to original tank; swarmers die in 3 days if they don't have fish host and you keep temp at 80F.


I feel I need to better understand your routine. Did you really move all the fish to another tank? Why steralize the filter every 12 hours? Shouldn't it be as simple as turning on the Diatom Filter and since it doesn't really clog - let it work for 4 days. Since this time is longer than the life cycle of the ich then all free swimming ich shall be caught.

Aviel.


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Hi Aviel,

The recommended treatment was to move the fish to a new tank every 12 hours for 3 days. (This way the fish would be in a new uninfected tank before the cyst released its swarmers) 

Instead of doing this, I moved the fish every 24 hours but sterilized the filter inbetween. It simply was to make the recommended treatment easier for me. I wasn't sure that this shortcut would work, but it did!

If your diatom filter will remove micron size particles (ich cysts and swarmers are 1,000 and 30 microns in size, respecitively), I think that it is definitely worth a try. You may not need to sterilize the filter. It could be that once the ich organisms are trapped in the diatom, they won't be able to get out and infect the fish.

Your diatom filter may not be able to immediately remove every single swarmer, but over time and coupled with the resistance of healthy fish, you may be able to eliminate ich from the tank. 

Please let me know what happens. My method worked beautifully for me, but it was a LOT of work. It would be great if you found a simpler method.


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## graham1212 (Oct 13, 2004)

> quote:
> 
> My experience has been that a planted tank with a soil substrate doesn't need a filter for biological filtration. However, its very nice to have good mechanical filtration. I'd recommend these filters for larger tanks (40 gals and up). The cartridge is a little big to be aestheticaly pleasing for the smaller tanks.
> 
> Diana Walstad


i was hoping you could describe why this works. does the nitrifying bacteria exist in the potting soil? im assuming the plants absorb the nitrate once the bacteria has done the rest. do you think this would work with any other substrate?

thanks!
graham


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

> quote:
> 
> Originally posted by graham1212:
> 
> ...


Sorry I missed addressing this very important question. Soil (unsterilized) is filled with useful bacteria, including nitrifying. From experiments that I did in bottles, I found that mulm and soil do a fabulous job of removing added ammonia. In addition to the soil, you've also got the plants taking up ammonia. Please read my article on this website about aquatic plant preference for ammonia over nitrates.

Plants Prefer Ammonia

That's why I've been able to run my tanks for years with just a cheap internal pump to circulate water. There's no need to purchase a biological filter. No need to.... the tank itself has become a biological filter.


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

> quote:
> 
> Originally posted by Roger Miller:
> ....
> ...


More on "CLEANING the QUICK FILTERS":

I have to clean my quick filters every few weeks or so because they do clog up quickly in a planted tank. However, it now takes me about 5 minutes to clean them.

I've replaced the manufacturer's sock filter pad with my own filter material (sold as "Micron Filter Pad"). The padding I use has 100 micron size pores, so it doesn't clog up as quickly as the sock pad which has 1 micron size pores. I cut out rectangular pieces from a roll of the Micron Filter Pad and then wrapped the pieces loosely around the filter's internal plastic cage.

For cleaning, wringing them out doesn't dislodge much debris. Some advocate slapping the filters vigorously against the sink, but the splatter goes everywhere! Now I put the pads into a thick plastic bag or two and heave the bags against the refrigerator. I found a few swings, squeezes, and rinses will clean the filters fairly well (there's also a certain vicarious pleasure in hurling the bags against the refrigerator). A final rinse and there ready to be reused. Remember that whatever "debris" remains in the filter probably contains nitrifying bacteria and other useful aerobic bacteria. All you're trying to do is dislodge 95% of the debris so that the filter keep maintains a good flow rate. There's no reason (under ordinary circumstances) to sterilize the filter after cleaning.

Cleaned like this these filters should work for years without replacement. Basically, a $7 roll (18 X 30 inches) of the micron filter pads provides a lifetime filter supply.


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## DataGuru (Mar 11, 2005)

So where did you find the 100 micron filter material?


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## SCMurphy (Jan 28, 2004)

I second Betty,

More info on the roll of Micron Filter material please.


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

This just proves (once again) that "the devil is in the details".

I ordered the roll of filter material from Doctors Foster & Smith, phone #1-800-443-1160

Cat #143963 .... 18" X 30" 100 micron pure flo ... $6.99

Diana


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## yalej (Dec 8, 2004)

How do you position your 301 in your tank? Is it mounted on the edge, or submerged all the way?

Thanks
Dennis


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

I keep the 301 fully submerged (the 4 suction cups attach to the glass anywhere).

In my 55 gal where I'm encouraging aerial growth, I keep the water level 4 inches below the top. Because I can easily move this filter down, I get the nice underwater circulation that I want. In contrast, with canister filters and hang-on-the-back filters, its hard to lower the water-line and not get splashing, spraying, etc.

Now my 55 gal has a huge canopy of Water Sprite growing above the surface. The 301 made it easy!


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## res1962 (Jul 13, 2003)

> quote:
> 
> Originally posted by Diana Walstad:
> I'd recommend these filters for larger tanks (40 gals and up). The cartridge is a little big to be aestheticaly pleasing for the smaller tanks.


I really like the idea of the powerhead/quick filter combo. It's seems nice and simple.

I've finally ordered Ms Walstads' book and am starting to plan at setting up either a 29gal (30" x 12" x 18") or a 30gal (36" x 12" x 16") low-tech, natural tank. I'm leaning towards the 30gal (as lighting it looks to be a little easier). I agree that the size of the powerhead/quick filter in either of these tank sizes will probably be a little unwieldy, so I was thinking I would probably go with a canister. Of the three obvious canister choices (Ehiem, FilStar, Fluval) what models would be recommended for a low-tech tank of this size? Would a H.O.T. Magnum be sufficient for mechanical filtering? Also, has anyone had any experience with the Hydor brand canisters? Any other filter recommendations are also welcome.

I also have a question about the powerhead/quick filter combo. Is the quick filter cartridge designed in such a way that it could somehow easily be connected to the powerhead via a length of plastic tubing. If that were possible, I think that it would make this setup a little more feasible for the two tank sizes that I'm considering.

Thanks, Rob


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

> quote:
> 
> Originally posted by res1962:
> 
> ...


I no longer use canister filters for all the reasons I listed earlier . I think the Hagen 301/Quick Filter that I use would probably work fine in a 30 gal (when I said smaller tanks I was talking about 10 gal tanks).









I have used a plastic hose to adapt the Quick Filter to the 401 size. The hose, which I bought at Home Depot is 3/4 inch outside diameter with a 1/16 inch wall thickness. It fits into the Quick Filter.

You'll have to do a little work to fiqure out what works best. But I think if you bought a 301 and the Quick Filter, you'd be in good shape for your 29 and 30 gal.


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## res1962 (Jul 13, 2003)

Thanks for your reply. I'll order the 301 and quick filter then.

I got your book in the mail today! I'm excited to start reading. I'm really looking forward to setting up a new, larger natural aquarium. I think my big angelfish will be looking forward to it too.


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## Sandhill (Oct 17, 2004)

> quote:
> 
> Originally posted by Diana Walstad:
> One micron pore-size is really small (Our lab uses filters with 0.22 and 0.45 micron-sized pores to filter out bacteria.) I wonder if filters would have any effect on green water algae?
> ...


I think the answer to the green algae question is an unfortunate no. I've had one running in my daughter's 10 gallon algea infested tank for over two weeks and the water is still as green as when I put it in there. Rats!!

I've done two water changes during this period and the heavy green color returns in a matter of a few days.


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## DataGuru (Mar 11, 2005)

daphnia would solve the green water problem. Just stick em in a breeder net.


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

I wonder if filters would have any effect on green water algae?
QUOTE]

I think the answer to the green algae question is an unfortunate no. I've had one running in my daughter's 10 gallon algea infested tank for over two weeks and the water is still as green as when I put it in there.

I've done two water changes during this period and the heavy green color returns in a matter of a few days.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for writing. I suspected that filtering green water algae out was just too easy a solution.

Diatom filters and UV sterilizers will work, but these are expensive. Daphnia cage approach has worked for some people and sounds intriguing.

My solution has always been to foster floating plant growth and/or emergent growth. A Water Sprite rooted in soil with its leaves on the surface can compete quite well with algae.


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## Sandhill (Oct 17, 2004)

Well, another week or so and no more water changes has produced a remarkable improvement. The water is almost back to crystal clear. I'm still skeptical that the filter had anything to do with it. If it was trapping the algea I'd think it would have cleared in hours rather than weeks. Don't know for sure though.


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Aren't ecosystems interesting?


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## Sandhill (Oct 17, 2004)

They sure are!









I took the filter out to clean it the first time yesterday. It was thick with bright green slime, presumably the grean water algea. So I may have judged too quickly. It may be that it just takes longer than I thought for the filter to clean it all out.


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## sheamorrissey (Jan 24, 2005)

This has been a very interesting read. I had the pleasure of reading Diane's book a couple of years ago and she and Jim Kelley have been my guru's for developing living ecosystems with minimal techno gagedtry (sp?) 
A couple of thoughts: What sold me on the idea of using minimal external filtration on my plant tanks is not only that plants utilize nitrogen in all its forms (amonium, amonia, nitrite, nitrate) but also that a well planted tank provides a good deal of surface area for nitrifying bacteria to colonize. All filter pads, bio balls, ceramic noodles etc provide is surface area placed in the current of water. A power head in a planted tank provides the current, the plants the surface area.I've used a aquaclear with a foam filter as the sole filtration in my tanks for a while with good results. The foam gets clogged from time to time, I squeeze it out in a gallon of water and use the guk to water my house plants. 
As far as green algae blooms go, I had success in an established well planted tank, to simply turn off the lights for a couple of days and cover the tank so that no external light gets in. The plants will survive this "blackout" the green algae less so. Also if you think about the green algae as existing only because there are nutrient levels sufficient to favor them, doing water changes, with anything other than pure H2o could actually be replenishing the supply of Nitrogen or phosphate. The green algae is "filtering" the water of these nutrients. Floating plants will shade and out compete the green algae in time as they have more ready access to light and atmosphereic co2.


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