Getting the most out of your filter media

[CACAdmin]

I was wondering what techniques everyone uses to get the most efficient and cost effective use out of your filter media.

This is what I do:

Some HOB Filters have room for more than one filter media insert. Initially, I thought this was simply a marketing ploy to encourage people to use more media (hence more filter insert sales). However, I have started using 2 inserts or 1 insert & a filter pad cut to size and replace only one of these at a time, effectively reducing the amount of loss of good bacteria. This also gives me an insert with a well established colony of bacteria to transfer to a new tank to jump start the cycling of that tank.

For HOBs with no room for more than one insert, I use a piece of foam over the intake tube and either replace the filter insert or rinse the foam when needed, never doing both at the same time. (Once again, either the foam or the filter insert is thus has a well established colony of bacteria for seeding a new tank.)

[Melody]

I know a lady who sews her own filter pads using quilt batting.

I use a lot of box filters. Cheap to purchase, cheap media, more money for fishies ;) . You can use quilt batting for filter floss along with bulk carbon, etc. Not practical for a large tank BUT I find them a fantastic form of additional filtration in large tanks. I add my coral & floss to them, then place them in a spot far away from the HOB filter. It gets the stuff that the filter can't pick up from that far away (like that dead area in the center front of two filters), keeps the food floating longer and provides extra surface agitation. It also gives snails a place to play - they like going up with the filter bubbles :D . Its a great bacterial bed and can seed many new filters if required. You can hide them behind plants or decorations and the bubbles look cool coming up from behind them.