Who uses aquaclear? What media?

[pokefan]

I just got my new AC 20 in the mail today and got it all set up in the tank. For now I have the sponge, ammonia chips (just in case), my old media from the whisper filter and the ceramic bio media. I figured when everything was stable I'll probably take out the Ammo chips. What do you guys run on a daily basis in these filters? I've seen some people say they just run 2 of the sponges and the bioballs/ceramic. Would that be enough?

[trashion]

I run sponge, biomax, and filter floss.

[Obsidian]

On my 20 I run sponge, and biomax 100% of the time. Sometimes I add charcoal. I need to add filter floss. That is an AC50. I run the same things in my AC70 on my 100 ga (which also has an XP3 canister filter running on it).

In my whisper 20 filter on my 10 ga I have modified it and put in 2 AC20 sponges and biomax. I need to add filter floss to this as well. It is already doing better than what that filter came with, though the water there continues to have a white/cloudy hue. Eventually I will figure that out! I believe I will take out the second sponge (part of why I put that in there was in case I need to add it to my 100ga when I add more fish) and put in a sequential sponge layer instead, fine to coarse (or vice versa, I will figure it out LOL).

[JustOneMore20]

I only have 1 Aquaclear, a 50 that I use on my QT tank. I have a sponge or 2 and some bioballs in it. Before my AC20 died, I used just sponges in it. Used just sponges in an AC70 that I had in the past as well.

[pokefan]

cool, I may run the filter floss then when I feel everything is good. I was just hunting around a bit and I saw a few people that said it didn't quite filter everything with just the sponges and adding the floss worked out great.

Anyone know how much it is from Petco/Petsmart? I just found a 4oz bag on EBay for $6 shipped. Looks to be a good amount.

[Ricker]

go to your LFS first. Here a 10oz filter floss 10 bucks. check out petsmarts to they might have it now sure though

[pokefan]

We don't have a LFS!

[Ricker]

bummers check petsmart

[karazy]

iuse sponge on bottom, charcoal, then biomax, but alot of the time no biomax

[trashion]

Don't bother with charcoal if you're going planted, it'll suck plant nutrients out of the water.

[pokefan]

Yea, I had no plans on using the charcoal that's why I was curious to find out what others use. I think I'll go with the sponge, floss, and the bioballs.

[Obsidian]

I am pretty sure you will want to make sure you are using biomax or some other form of biological filtration, it is fairly important, especially if you ever have a need to change out a sponge. The biomax holds a lot of bacteria.

[pokefan]

Maybe I worded it wrong. I'm pretty sure we're talking about the same thing though. It's the little porous ceramic pieces? Is that what you are referring to with "BioMax"? If so that's what I'm using now and plan to keep in there.

[Obsidian]

Yes thats the biomax

[pokefan]

Hmm, I've notice the recently that my Ammonia spikes over night. I've got the Anacharis planted and Ammonia chips in the filter and it did it again last night. I really didn't expect to see that anymore with the new filter and the plants looking healthier. Does ammonia usually go up a little in the night hours? If I feel it's not to bad I usually won't mess with it in the morning and it goes back down by the time I get home at night, why is this?

[Clerk]

I usually run 2 sponges and biomax

[emc7]

A cycled tank shouldn't ever have detectable ammonia. My guess is that the plants are helping remove it in the daytime when they are growing and not at night. If the spike is in the "safe" range leave it alone and it should stop spiking as the filter cycles.