Common Filter Media

**dnsfpl** · 29th May 2008, 11:34

List of Common Filter Media
Mechanical - sponge, wool, ceramic ring
Biological - biohome, bacteria house
Chemical - activated charcoal, ammonia stone, coral chip, peat

anymore to add?

what type of filter does people normally use for OHF?
sponge and ceramic ring?

can i cut ceramic ring to smaller pieces for internal filter?

thanks

**doppelbanddwarf** · 29th May 2008, 12:29

Seachem Matrix works pretty well for me in a cannister filter.
http://www.seachem.com/products/prod...es/Matrix.html

**bossteck** · 29th May 2008, 22:09

There are lots of other biological media. Basically, anything that is inert and can provide surface area but is small in size is suitable.

This means, you can basically put a brick in your filter (if it fits) and beneficial bacteria can still colonize it making it a bio-media, only this is, it is not space efficient, hence unsuitable.

Some suitable bio-media that I have came acros / read about which are not in your list: lava rocks, plastic pot scrubbers, bio ball, ceramic rings, plastic beads. I am sure there are many others that you can add.

Agree with you that sponge + ceramic rings are probably your best bet for a OHF.

By the way, peat does not provide chemical filteration.

**bng** · 29th May 2008, 23:02

Originally Posted by dnsfpl

List of Common Filter Media
Mechanical - sponge, wool, ceramic ring
Biological - biohome, bacteria house
Chemical - activated charcoal, ammonia stone, coral chip, peat

anymore to add?

what type of filter does people normally use for OHF?
sponge and ceramic ring?

can i cut ceramic ring to smaller pieces for internal filter?

thanks

I think ceramic rings are for biological.

**Verminator** · 30th May 2008, 06:53

I think a revised list is in order, seeing as everyone here has different thoughts of where what goes where

I use whatever is standard in my Juwel Rio 180, internal filter does its job perfectly fine for me.

**dnsfpl** · 30th May 2008, 10:38

Originally Posted by bossteck

There are lots of other biological media. Basically, anything that is inert and can provide surface area but is small in size is suitable.

This means, you can basically put a brick in your filter (if it fits) and beneficial bacteria can still colonize it making it a bio-media, only this is, it is not space efficient, hence unsuitable.

Some suitable bio-media that I have came acros / read about which are not in your list: lava rocks, plastic pot scrubbers, bio ball, ceramic rings, plastic beads. I am sure there are many others that you can add.

Agree with you that sponge + ceramic rings are probably your best bet for a OHF.

By the way, peat is does not provide chemical filteration.

thanks for the info...will be getting ceramic rings this weekend

btw can i cut the ceramic rings into smaller pieces to fit my internal filter for the other tank?

Originally Posted by bng

I think ceramic rings are for biological.

i am not too sure too, some say mechanical while others say biological

**celticfish** · 30th May 2008, 16:16

dnsfpl,

It all depends...
General statement for ceramic rings (CR).
They have more "surface" area due to the hollow centre.
In cannister filters, their shape is designed to trap larger particles at the bottom of the filter.
This action extends the time to clog the filter and maintenance time.

If you examine the sequence of the filtration in cannisters it goes as follows:
a) CR is first contact to trap lager debris.
b) coarse filter wool to trap medium particles.
c) main bio-filtration medium.
d) fine wool to "polish" water before going back into the tank.

In answer to "is CR a bio or mechanical filtration?" ---> both
The shape gives it some mechanical properties while the suface area for bacteria gives it biofiltration ability.

Can you break CR to use?
Sure, why not? If you desire to use it as biofiltration medium.
Not a good choice if it is going to be used in a cannister filter though.
That defeats the very purpose of its design - shape.
Why not go direct and use a proper filter medium like Biohome?
However, if the CR are just lying around and doing nothing... just do it!

**dnsfpl** · 30th May 2008, 16:58

breaking them into smaller pieces because it is for my internal filter, cartridge very small

is it feasible? notice most internal filter only use sponge/wool

**dnsfpl** · 5th Jun 2008, 09:52

what is the difference between jap mat and normal sponge filter?

thanks

**bossteck** · 5th Jun 2008, 10:48

It is ok to break ceramic rings into smaller pieces to fit your internal filter. But, do not be mistaken that the sponge in your filter can only provide one form of filtration. Your sponge can provide both mechanical as well as biological filteration, because baterial can colonize the sponge too.

Jap mat is coarser than most sponge and it have a longer life span, does not 'disintergrate' over time like most filter sponges.

In my opinion, it is more suitable to be used in a sump filter rather than most canister filters because of space efficiency issue.