OHF Media Headache!

**benedetto13** · 24th Nov 2010, 03:06

I'm currently setting up a 2feet, using OHF. I have two kind of white wool, the normal soft kind and the biological filter mat(recommended by c328 uncle), pack of lava rock and magic clean paper as i heard it's good.

So do i need ceramic rings? or japanese mat?

and how should i place them?

Thanks so much!

Am i posting in the right place? if not, help me shift, thanks mod!

**eviltrain** · 24th Nov 2010, 17:57

using your material you have at the moment, i will place in
1. ceramic rings as bottom layer
2. lava rocks over the ceramic rings
3. biological filter mat over lava rocks
4. normal soft kind over the biological filter mat.
and finally
5. magic clean paper on the top layer.

-good luck-

**bossteck** · 24th Nov 2010, 18:36

Take note that magic cleaner paper cannot be placed in the filter indefinitely, it gets clogged rather easily, eventually, water is just going to flow over it rather than through it. Just leave it for 1 or 2 days then remove it.

My recommendation.

First contact should be coarse material that act as mechanical filter, it should not clog too easily and role is to break down larger waste. These should be easily removed and washed while you're doing filter maintenance.

Next filter wool, to remove the finer wastes, these are usually replaced each time. Role, mechanical as well.

Lastly, bio media (your ceramic rings, biohome and what not) these you either leave it completely alone, or wash with water from your tank, never with tap water.

So... what do you use for the first layer? I have seen all sorts of things, bio balls, lava rocks, coarse filter pads, japanese mats etc. If you using loose materials, be sure to put them in a filter bag for ease of removal when washing.

What do you use for the last layer? Anything that provides sufficient space for the bacterial colony. Ceramic rings should do just fine.

So for your case, I will put lava rocks right at the bottom, fine wool in centre, coarse wool at the top.
I know this is slightly different from Alan's recommendation, I suppose this is due to different school of thought. No right or wrong.

**benedetto13** · 24th Nov 2010, 22:08

Originally Posted by eviltrain

using your material you have at the moment, i will place in
1. ceramic rings as bottom layer
2. lava rocks over the ceramic rings
3. biological filter mat over lava rocks
4. normal soft kind over the biological filter mat.
and finally
5. magic clean paper on the top layer.

-good luck-

Originally Posted by bossteck

Take note that magic cleaner paper cannot be placed in the filter indefinitely, it gets clogged rather easily, eventually, water is just going to flow over it rather than through it. Just leave it for 1 or 2 days then remove it.

My recommendation.

First contact should be coarse material that act as mechanical filter, it should not clog too easily and role is to break down larger waste. These should be easily removed and washed while you're doing filter maintenance.

Next filter wool, to remove the finer wastes, these are usually replaced each time. Role, mechanical as well.

Lastly, bio media (your ceramic rings, biohome and what not) these you either leave it completely alone, or wash with water from your tank, never with tap water.

So... what do you use for the first layer? I have seen all sorts of things, bio balls, lava rocks, coarse filter pads, japanese mats etc. If you using loose materials, be sure to put them in a filter bag for ease of removal when washing.

What do you use for the last layer? Anything that provides sufficient space for the bacterial colony. Ceramic rings should do just fine.

So for your case, I will put lava rocks right at the bottom, fine wool in centre, coarse wool at the top.
I know this is slightly different from Alan's recommendation, I suppose this is due to different school of thought. No right or wrong.

I'VE GOT IT ALL WRONG, i just set up the tank to let the tank cycle. Is it ok if i let it run the way it is now for 2days? then i rearrange? Because i definitely rather follow either one of your ideas, thanks so much for enlightening me on this, great help!

**stormhawk** · 24th Nov 2010, 22:23

Yes it is okay to let it run the way it is for the next 2 days. You can rearrange the media later on. I would just go with a coarse filter pad and fine filter pad with a layer of ceramic material at the bottom. The only pad that needs to be removed during maintenance is the fine filter filter pad which should be at the top. Too much media is pointless if your water flow is restricted. The use of an OHF is to ensure the wet/dry trickle system is maintained, so the bacteria have both moisture and exposure to an adequate amount of oxygen from being close to the air.

Restricting water flow by packing in too much media will defeat that purpose. If it's okay, please state what fishes and how many of each species you are keeping, and whether there are live plants present.

**eviltrain** · 24th Nov 2010, 22:29

Since its only 2 days. You can arrange it within 30 mins shouldn't be a problem. Just check your water parameter every week to confirm the cycle can liao.

**benedetto13** · 24th Nov 2010, 23:12

Originally Posted by stormhawk

Yes it is okay to let it run the way it is for the next 2 days. You can rearrange the media later on. I would just go with a coarse filter pad and fine filter pad with a layer of ceramic material at the bottom. The only pad that needs to be removed during maintenance is the fine filter filter pad which should be at the top. Too much media is pointless if your water flow is restricted. The use of an OHF is to ensure the wet/dry trickle system is maintained, so the bacteria have both moisture and exposure to an adequate amount of oxygen from being close to the air.

Restricting water flow by packing in too much media will defeat that purpose. If it's okay, please state what fishes and how many of each species you are keeping, and whether there are live plants present.

I'll remember that in my head

I have two crayfish, they are the reason why I started all these, and going to keep shrimps(cherries/sakura) Yes i know, it's dangerous but previously i tried shrimps with my crayfish and they were doing well so just going to try different kind of shrimps this time

maybe 10-20each? Think too much for my tank? No live plants, only moss(2 java on husk/flame on mesh/xmas on mesh/fissiden on mesh and driftwood/stringy moss on bogwood)

**benedetto13** · 24th Nov 2010, 23:13

Originally Posted by eviltrain

Since its only 2 days. You can arrange it within 30 mins shouldn't be a problem. Just check your water parameter every week to confirm the cycle can liao.

I think i will rearrange tomorrow, but will make do with what i have first, next time then get CR. Because now like no space also after putting lava rock, i bought those they packed in zip bag, too big! can i take them out of the bag and lay it on the tray inside?

**benedetto13** · 25th Nov 2010, 13:48

Hey, I just rearranged it, took less than 5mins. But i was wondering, i bought lava rock that came in a zip bag. As it was too big for me to put it flat into the OHF, so i took out half of it and placed it in the OHF without any bag, is it ok? those in the bag are in OHF too, just nice can lay inside.

**stormhawk** · 27th Nov 2010, 13:46

That works fine. All you need to do is to replace the fine filter pad when it's dirty. Don't disturb the other media during the cycling period. If you need to boost the cycling faster, those bacteria cultures like Waterlife's Bacterlife or those products from Tetra/Sera. During this period some bits of fish/shrimp food would be good as "food" for the bacteria to mature faster. If you already have the crays in the tank just feed them but cut back on feedings. After a week, check for nitrate, nitrite and ammonia. Nitrate should be at a manageable level and nitrite should always be at zero. Same for ammonia.

Crays are tougher than expensive CRS, but it pays to be dilligent if you eventually intend to keep more expensive shrimps.

**benedetto13** · 27th Nov 2010, 21:14

I just bought Nutrafin Cycle, is that recommendable? Because i did a search and found good reviews on that for cultivating BB. Hope i didn't get it wrong. Actually my crays destroyed everything, the soil/arrangements etc. So i bought a 1.5feet tank for them just now, using the 2feet just for shrimps and CPO. CPO because i really like to see 'crays' with shrimps, for me shrimps alone rather 'boring', no offence really.

**aquarius** · 30th Nov 2010, 00:12

I would like to add that it's advisable to stick black oyama sticker around the OHF so that the bio-filter media won't be exposed to the light source and grow algae on the medias. When algae grows on the media, it'll compete with the BBs for space. BBs also need dark spaces to thrive. This is something which i noticed alot of hobbyists and lfs don't do.

**benedetto13** · 30th Nov 2010, 00:26

My OHF, do you guys think i can put CR in that compartment? The compartment is where the water flows back down into the tank. On the right is my lava rock, bio filter, soft filter wool and magic clean paper.

I removed that wool i choked there to try if i can reduce the flow back to the tank, it didn't work haha as it caused a flood.