filter intakes/outlets & loaches...

[sophie]

briefly, I've got a lovely new canister filter - with unnervingly large intake & outlet tubes. I can quite imagine the loaches deciding that this would be a good place to hide...

I don;t have any plastic mesh as usually recommended - as a temp. measure, would I be better off tying vanvas mesh over the ends of the tubes or putting a bit of very coarse filter foam in there? would either option compromise the function of the filter?

thanks for any ideas,

[Graeme McKellar]

Hi Sophie, I would not use foam inside the intake hose no matter how course it is as it will cause cavitation which will damage the impeller and housing of the pump. It is quite ok to restrict the output hose to slow-down flow but never restrict the intake hose. You have to allow a equal or larger area in the attached strainer than there is in the cross-section area of the intake hose. (Pi x D =area) The strainer should have as large as possible openings to prevent clogging but small enough to prevent inquisitive loaches exploring thr internal workings of your filter. What type is your new filter? I am currently looking at buying a Fluval FX 5 and would appreciate any help and advise from anyone with one.

[angelfish83]

Or a simpler explanation would be to just put a sponge on the intake. This wont cause damage I dont care what anyone says...

Someone who is on all the forums I know , LuvFishies, has something like 50 tanks, all with sponges on the intake, no problems, many canisters.

Anyways, just go buy a big Aquaclear brand sponge, make an X in it all the way to the middle, and snug it onto the intake. Obviously you will want to remove and clean this sponge by ringing it out in a bucket as often as possible so it doesnt clog and slow flow to your filter.

As per the output I wouldnt worry... A fish knows not to swim up a tube with an enormous amount of water pressure jetting out of it... I also doubt any fish that small would have the power to swim into it.

I had a large pleco climb into the overflow of an aquaclear, but thats a totally different principle. It was funny though.

[shari2]

I also use the coarse variety aquaclear sponges over the intakes of my fry tanks, and some others. It does take rinsing once a week or so but when I waterchange I just squeeze and swish then pop it back on.

An added benefit is that it will be colonized by tank bacteria and can be used to jump start another tank in an emergency if needed, or boost one that has been damaged by antibiotic treatments.

So far, (10+ years) there has been no problems with the filters due to this. Just make sure that you don't let them clog, and that it is coarse enough not to restrict the intake. If you see it getting sucked into the shape of the intake, it is likely too fine a sponge and will slow your output. If that happens you need a coarser sponge.

[sophie]

Hi Sophie, I would not use foam inside the intake hose no matter how course it is as it will cause cavitation which will damage the impeller and housing of the pump. It is quite ok to restrict the output hose to slow-down flow but never restrict the intake hose. You have to allow a equal or larger area in the attached strainer than there is in the cross-section area of the intake hose. (Pi x D =area) The strainer should have as large as possible openings to prevent clogging but small enough to prevent inquisitive loaches exploring thr internal workings of your filter. What type is your new filter? I am currently looking at buying a Fluval FX 5 and would appreciate any help and advise from anyone with one.

thanks Graeme. isn't the area of a circle (eg cross section of the hose) pi x r-squared?

and the pump is a fluval but not the fx5. I believe adam petherick has just bought one of those and from what I read they're pretty good.

[sophie]

shari,
angelfish,
thank you.

the filter in another tank - which will be replaced by the filter from this tank - has a dirty great big very coarse sponge in it, so I think I shall just use that.

and for my next question - what's the point of the carbon? doesn;t it just filter out meds & smells? I have neither in the tank at the moment; should I leave it there or replace it with fine floss??

(stumbling around in the dark?? ME???)

[Eyrie]

Carbon isn't something that needs run in a filter all the time. It's normoally used only as you say to remove traces of medication and I've heard that it can also remove some nutrients that plants need.

Given that carbon loses its effectiveness after 4-6 weeks and then starts leaking everything its absorbed back into the water, it's also quite expensive to run full time.

I leave it out and fit another filter sponge instead.

[Dr. Momfish]

carbon removes the iron and trace metals that plants need. when adding fertilizer and trace mineral mixtures for the benefit of plants, there should be no carbon in the filter.

[crazie.eddie]

Given that carbon loses its effectiveness after 4-6 weeks and then starts leaking everything its absorbed back into the water, it's also quite expensive to run full time.

Carbon does not leak anything back into the water. (Read this thread)

Once it's depleated, you can just keep it around for additional surface for nitrifying bacteria to grow on.

[helen nightingale]

doesnt old carbon leaching depend on the quality of the carbon you use? some of the carbon pellets you can get are probably only worth adding to the cat litter tray.

[andyroo]

any thouhgts on using used carbon as an orchid growth medium?
Likely the wrong forum :)
Should work though, eh?

A

[shari2]

andyroo--
ask Mark on the OT.