brian90vette
Member
Does the blue pads serve as a efficient enough mechanical filter to remove plankton from the water? I have them in my bio wheel and in my eclipse.
Brian
Brian
blue carbon pads remove phyto?
- Thread starter brian90vette
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billb
Guest
I'm not an expert, but I'll give you my 2 cents...
That type does have carbon in them, so it may be giving some help in clearing the water. The carbon, as I have read, is only useful for a few days, so after leaving one in for a month I doubt it is being beneficial in that sense. Since the water runs over this type of pad I doubt that it is as helpful as something where water runs through it. The Blue part of the filter does catch some of the larger crap floating around in the water if you tend to over feed food cubes and stuff like that..basically it can't hurt, as I see it. The Bio wheel itself has mixed reviews, some say the eclipse tanks are really built for fish only setups and the Bio wheel becomes a nitrate trap and to remove it. If you have live rock working for you already, I would probably agree with this assumption. The set-up isn't great, but it works and many people have had success with them. With the price of the pads not being to expensive, I'd just change em out as you see fit. The wheel is a personal choice, on whether to keep it in or not. I run this type of system myself on a 29. I wouldn't do it again on the next larger tank, not because it doesn't work, but because the filter/pump system takes up to much room on the tank enclosure and upgrading lights can be a real pain in the but, excluding too many options...
Good Luck,
Billb
That type does have carbon in them, so it may be giving some help in clearing the water. The carbon, as I have read, is only useful for a few days, so after leaving one in for a month I doubt it is being beneficial in that sense. Since the water runs over this type of pad I doubt that it is as helpful as something where water runs through it. The Blue part of the filter does catch some of the larger crap floating around in the water if you tend to over feed food cubes and stuff like that..basically it can't hurt, as I see it. The Bio wheel itself has mixed reviews, some say the eclipse tanks are really built for fish only setups and the Bio wheel becomes a nitrate trap and to remove it. If you have live rock working for you already, I would probably agree with this assumption. The set-up isn't great, but it works and many people have had success with them. With the price of the pads not being to expensive, I'd just change em out as you see fit. The wheel is a personal choice, on whether to keep it in or not. I run this type of system myself on a 29. I wouldn't do it again on the next larger tank, not because it doesn't work, but because the filter/pump system takes up to much room on the tank enclosure and upgrading lights can be a real pain in the but, excluding too many options...
Good Luck,
Billb
T
thomas712
Guest
Yes they can remove plankton, both Zooplankton and Phytoplankton.
However the type of filter you have can also breed them as well. If the larve get caught in the fibers they can still live and grow and even reproduce in those HOB filters, they sometimes act like little fuges. When you go to remove those filter pads just knock off any large pods that you find, then toss.
Thomas
However the type of filter you have can also breed them as well. If the larve get caught in the fibers they can still live and grow and even reproduce in those HOB filters, they sometimes act like little fuges. When you go to remove those filter pads just knock off any large pods that you find, then toss.
Thomas
brian90vette
Member
Thanbks for the answers. I actually want to keep the plankton and was thinking maybe those carbon pads were taking it out of the water. As far as the biowheel goes I agree. The biowheel is a nitrate maker. I never do seem to get nitrates lower than 20 no matter what. I dont want to cut back on feeding so thats not an option. I was mainly concerned with the plankton. I want my system to produce it on its own. I dont want to inhibit it any way.
Brian
Brian