Prefilters

[Vicente Mcdonnell]

For you canister folks, do any of you use pre filter canisters? I've seen some asian breeders using pre filter canisters.

 

In my case, my cloudy water doesn't seem to want to clear up despite frequent WC. I'm thinking if my filter had more surface for filtration it might be more effective. Thinking of adding a pre filter to help.

[Subtletanks91]

Is it a white cloudy?? It could be a bacterial bloom. Those you have to wait out no amount of water changes or chemicals can change or clear it.

you could try and use clarity by seachem as well. That usually works well for me.

I have a double sponge prefiltwr in plastic housing I used for my old 405 fluval. But it was a bit to big. I could trade or sell wxtemely cheap for you it you want.

[evodrgn]

I use Han's ss-prefilters on all my canisters. Never had a problem with cloudiness after a few days. Subtle Aquatics recommended Seachem Stability to me and my tank was crystal clear in less than 24hrs of cycling!

[randy]

Cloudiness after many days could be issue of the substrate as well. Some older batches of ADA and Netlea are known to do this.

 

Even with no filtration my ADA tank always clears up after a day or two. I always use a dish on the substrate when adding water so not to disturb the substrate while filling water.

[miwu]

I might be wrong but the original poster could be asking about canister filters without the pump that you hook onto a normal canister. It acts like a prefilter and is for filtering out debris and leaving the original canister for bacteria growth. If this is the case, no, I don't think adding this prefilter will help with the cloudy water.

[JamesHe]

Cloudiness after many days could be issue of the substrate as well. Some older batches of ADA and Netlea are known to do this.

 

Even with no filtration my ADA tank always clears up after a day or two. I always use a dish on the substrate when adding water so not to disturb the substrate while filling water.

I thought you're right.

 

I use ADA first generation amazonia soil. I always have cloudy water even after 3 years of use. looks like muddy water.

I use same soil to setup new tank, same thing. adding extra sponge filter doesn't help.

 

my shrimp is doing well,so I just ignore it.

 

this is my old tank looks like:

[Vicente Mcdonnell]

Bought some seachem to see if it will help. Hoping its just bacteria cloud and that it will go away. Could be the ada soil tannins leaching my tap water is about ph 8.

I guess ill just have to wait and see in the next few days. Will hold off on buying a prefilter.

[Subtletanks91]

If your tap water is around 8 it could be the rapid drop in ph killing bacteria in the water column that's causing the cloudiness. Ita hard to establish bacteria in low ph, that's why it takes so long to cycle a Tank with amaxonia.

seachem clarity will help if its just random particles, it binds them so ita easier for HW filter to pick up. If ita bacterial though. It will have to go away on its own.

[ctaylor3737]

For you canister folks, do any of you use pre filter canisters? I've seen some asian breeders using pre filter canisters.

 

In my case, my cloudy water doesn't seem to want to clear up despite frequent WC. I'm thinking if my filter had more surface for filtration it might be more effective. Thinking of adding a pre filter to help.

 

I have one of these on my discus tank and a show tank for water polishing. I asked the same question in a discus forum and found these guys. If your inclined they pretty much can be made at Lowes with some parts. Let me know if the link is off as I am at work and they block Ebay and this is what showed up in the search. They may be cheaper somewhere else to I will look around.

 

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=10&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CDoQFjAJ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fitm%2FJAQNO-Aquarium-Tank-1-5L-External-Pre-Filter-PF126-%2F160639132364&ei=sLHmU8e1Buih8gHSioGIAw&usg=AFQjCNGR6IQSo_0I1tssWV8-jD4zzPkrNA&bvm=bv.72676100,d.b2U

 

These are called Jaqno Prefilters that work before a cannister.

 

 

 

 

 

Amazon Version with free shipping:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Huhushop-TM-Aquarium-External-Pre-filter/dp/B00HLYV5CA

 

 

If you pack one of these with filter floss, which you can buy by the bags at Joann fabrics for cheap it will help polish the water and will keep rotting food from building in your cannister. Granted you will have to clean it more but thats kinda the point with a prefilter and polisher.

[Subtletanks91]

Thanks now I have something else to buy

[ctaylor3737]

Thanks now I have something else to buy

Lol my bad, they work though I've used them. I use them for polishing, and works well.

[Subtletanks91]

I'll be using them for more sponges. The problem I have is I need a bigger eheim or at least a 2213 impelled to replace the 2211 one. Then I can have more glow allowing me to use this add on

[evodrgn]

I have one of these on my discus tank and a show tank for water polishing. I asked the same question in a discus forum and found these guys. If your inclined they pretty much can be made at Lowes with some parts. Let me know if the link is off as I am at work and they block Ebay and this is what showed up in the search. They may be cheaper somewhere else to I will look around.

 

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=10&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CDoQFjAJ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fitm%2FJAQNO-Aquarium-Tank-1-5L-External-Pre-Filter-PF126-%2F160639132364&ei=sLHmU8e1Buih8gHSioGIAw&usg=AFQjCNGR6IQSo_0I1tssWV8-jD4zzPkrNA&bvm=bv.72676100,d.b2U

 

These are called Jaqno Prefilters that work before a cannister.

 

 

 

 

 

Amazon Version with free shipping:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Huhushop-TM-Aquarium-External-Pre-filter/dp/B00HLYV5CA

 

 

If you pack one of these with filter floss, which you can buy by the bags at Joann fabrics for cheap it will help polish the water and will keep rotting food from building in your cannister. Granted you will have to clean it more but thats kinda the point with a prefilter and polisher.

 

 

Can you also use bio-media in the pre-filter too or is it best to only run it with sponge/ filter floss?

[ctaylor3737]

I'll be using them for more sponges. The problem I have is I need a bigger eheim or at least a 2213 impelled to replace the 2211 one. Then I can have more glow allowing me to use this add on

 

Yea I would imagine if your cannister is lets say only for a 20g and your running it on a 20g I imagine it would slow the flow down when using this product. I have them on large cannisters so its does nothing to the flow. I imagine it does some but not enough for me to notice. I tend to over filter my Discus tank anyways. I run an eheim 2080, magnum 350, fluval 406, and a 55/75. Keeps is sparkling clear lol.

[Subtletanks91]

Well discus tanks are always best triple if not quad filtered to keep water quality pristine and lessen water changes. Doing changes every day is ridiculous like so called hard core keepers so thwre no necessary point if you have sufficient flow and filtration.

[ctaylor3737]

Can you also use bio-media in the pre-filter too or is it best to only run it with sponge/ filter floss?

 

Yea you can put whatever you want, I have seen people use them as Co2 reactors and filled them with bio media along with it to break up co2 and grow bio filtration. Seems to work well that way.

[ctaylor3737]

Well discus tanks are always best triple if not quad filtered to keep water quality pristine and lessen water changes. Doing changes every day is ridiculous like so called hard core keepers so thwre no necessary point if you have sufficient flow and filtration.

 

Oh yea the only time pristine water is crucial is in the first few weeks of fry and juvies. This is simply to encourage growth and to make sure nothing stunts them. Once they reach 6 months I put them in an overfiltered tank and they do awesome with 2 weekly water changes. I vaccuum out food daily though that is always needed, beefheart reeks after a day in a tank so it is very bad for them if not taken out quickly.

 

I am planning on converting my 90g to a show tank with a sump and returning 8 or so adults in there. Once these ones pair up I will begin doing that when I pull them out for breeding. This will give me a large showtank, have it bare bottom now because these were all juvies once in here and this was my only large tank at the time when I moved up here.

[Subtletanks91]

Causes of cloudy tanks

http://freshaquarium.about.com/cs/waterconditions/a/cloudywater.htm

[Vicente Mcdonnell]

I found an old superjet filter that i thought was broken and filled it with fiber filter material. Was just going to use it as a prefilter. Whan i plugged it in it actually worked! So now i get really good water flow. The water seems to be clearing up now. I also paired it with seachem clarity.

[ctaylor3737]

I found an old superjet filter that i thought was broken and filled it with fiber filter material. Was just going to use it as a prefilter. Whan i plugged it in it actually worked! So now i get really good water flow. The water seems to be clearing up now. I also paired it with seachem clarity.

That's good man, good filtration and lots of water changes will help tons.