# Eheim AquaCompact 60 modification



## Fabio Perini (8 Aug 2018)

Good Afternoon,

I'm inclined to get rid of the filter floss disc at the top of the little canister as per various suggestions over several posts from Darrel. However I don't know if leaving the Substrat Pro as the last element of filtration or adding another filter mat like the one at the bottom?
I'm using the filter on an Aquascaper 300 cube.




 

Also,

Should I keep the Substrat Pro as the only biological filtration or it might be beneficial to mix it with something else? Obviously the space inside the canister is not huge but after having used the filter for some time I've noticed that the Substrat Pro has shrunk a bit.

I'm sure you are familiar with this little filter but just in case I've uploaded a picture of it.



 

Thanks very much in anticipation for your valuable attention.

Cheers,
Fabio


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## Edvet (9 Aug 2018)

It looks like you are not using CO2. In that case the filtervolume doesn't need to be that high. I would run the filter as is and clean the fine floss weekly, i guess it won't be that dirty. Tank looks healthy for now, why would you want to change it?


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## doylecolmdoyle (9 Aug 2018)

I have a aquacompact 40, I removed the fine filter floss as it really slowed the flow from the filter, if you clean / replace it often it is probably fine, personally I only clean out my little aquacompact40 a few times a year.

I just leave the substart pro as the last "medium" so course pad then the bio-ball. Have not had a problem, have this filter running on my 30cm jungle cube.

EDIT just looked at the photo of your tank, head height may be a issue if the filter is below the tank, mine sits next to my tank


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## Fabio Perini (9 Aug 2018)

Edvet said:


> It looks like you are not using CO2. In that case the filtervolume doesn't need to be that high. I would run the filter as is and clean the fine floss weekly, i guess it won't be that dirty. Tank looks healthy for now, why would you want to change it?



Hello Edvet,
Appreciate your answer very much! You are definitely correct, no CO2. Your point is valid, two reasons for thinking about getting rid of it: first it's cost as the pads are ridiculously expensive (eheim original) although I tried successfully JBL Symec loose fleece which is more affordable. Second is what I've been reading on this forum in various threads about bio media possibly turning toxic (Darrel) in case your husbandry gets sloppy. And because recently I've been travelling often I wouldn't like to return to a tank that has been wiped out...


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## Fabio Perini (9 Aug 2018)

And it seems to me that Darrel was suggesting fleece to be one of the most likely culprits in reducing flow hence the danger of using it.... I might have got it very wrong though...


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## Fabio Perini (9 Aug 2018)

By the way Edvet,

I've been blown away by your wonderful pictures on Flickr. Are you a professional photographer? 

I really like your tanks, they are real! If you know what I mean...

Cheers,
Fa


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## Edvet (9 Aug 2018)

Thx
The important question is: how dirty does the filter get. You don't  need new pads you can just rinse them extensivly under the tap ( maybe even just buy a bag of white filter floss and use that). But in this low flow environment with not that much bioload ( remember the plants do most of your filtering) the importance of the filter is less when compared with unplanted tanks.
One could say as long as the filterflow is good there is little to worry, but you can run the filter with far less filling ( even just some  coarse foam will function).


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## Fabio Perini (9 Aug 2018)

doylecolmdoyle said:


> I just leave the substart pro as the last "medium" so course pad then the bio-ball. Have not had a problem, have this filter running on my 30cm jungle cube.



Hello Colm,

Appreciate your input very much. That's exactly what I'm running at the moment as I went ahead and did it yesterday. There is no doubt that the water isn't as clear as it was before though...




doylecolmdoyle said:


> EDIT just looked at the photo of your tank, head height may be a issue if the filter is below the tank, mine sits next to my tank



I've been following the advice from Eheim and it might make a tiny bit of difference but not much. I've been looking at your wicked Jungle Cube and I'm very impressed. Obviously hi-tech which I can't afford and wouldn't have time for anyway. However I'm totally besotted that the Aquacompact 40 is handling the heavy bioload you have! I was quite concern about mine but I only have 5 Boraras Brigittae, 2 Otos (the other died one after the other...very painful to watch, hence not being particularly covinced in getting more), 2 Nerite snails, few Bloody Mary Shrimps, 2 Amano's and 1 Spixi snail.... My setup is an evolution of a Crystal Reds tank that didn't work out. However the parameters are extrem in that I have a Shirakura substrate that buffers the PH as I have a GH of 6 and a KH of 0....Setup is perfect for the Boraras and they love it.... Much less for the snails and the Neocaridina can't breed in this soft water. But that what I've got and I'm sort of stuck with it at the moment.. Are you using RO in yours?


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## Fabio Perini (9 Aug 2018)

Edvet said:


> The important question is: how dirty does the filter get. You don't need new pads you can just rinse them extensivly under the tap ( maybe even just buy a bag of white filter floss and use that). But in this low flow environment with not that much bioload ( remember the plants do most of your filtering) the importance of the filter is less when compared with unplanted tanks.
> One could say as long as the filterflow is good there is little to worry, but you can run the filter with far less filling ( even just some coarse foam will function).



Hi Edvet,

Appreciate your insight. You're quite right, I've been cleaning the filter every couple of months and it's true, it doesn't get really that dirty.

Talking about coarse foam I was wondering whether you know where to source Poret® foam in the UK. I know that SwissTropicals sells it in the US but they source it from Germany. However it seems like nobody sells it over here... Any idea? a 45 PPi poret foam should be ideal... Maybe! 

I created another post enquiring whether I could use JBL Proscape Volcano mineral as biomedia.... Any thoughts? I got the idea when I saw that Eheim sells a bio media called Lav...


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## Edvet (9 Aug 2018)

I wouldn't put to much importance on bio media, your plants and substrate will take care of that.
You can try pond shops/ garden centres, we can get it online here in the Nehterlands too (https://www.filtermatten.nl/)


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## dw1305 (9 Aug 2018)

Hi all,





Fabio Perini said:


> Second is what I've been reading on this forum in various threads about bio media possibly turning toxic (Darrel) in case your husbandry gets sloppy. And because recently I've been travelling often I wouldn't like to return to a tank that has been wiped out...





Fabio Perini said:


> And it seems to me that Darrel was suggesting fleece to be one of the most likely culprits in reducing flow hence the danger of using it.... I might have got it very wrong though


I've got one of these as well, and I kept the bottom sponge and the Eheim Substrat pro. I also have a wedge of PPI10 sponge in the filter intake (this might have come with the filter, if it doesn't I would have added a pre-filter sponge).

There is nothing intrinsically  wrong with floss, I just don't like fine mechanical filter material in the canister. If you use floss you must make sure it doesn't clog, and you can't see it, it is inside the filter. It only takes seconds to clean the pre-filter sponge. 

The issue is really a flow and oxygen one, if the flow through filter slows enough, so that the water in the filter becomes de-oxygenated and biological filtration is compromised. 

My experience with PPI10 sponge and "Substrat Pro" is that they are almost impossible to clog.





doylecolmdoyle said:


> head height may be a issue if the filter is below the tank, mine sits next to my tank


I have mine at tank height as well, I'd be a little concerned about head height, because it isn't a powerful filter. 

cheers Darrel


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## Fabio Perini (9 Aug 2018)

Hi Darrel,

Much appreciated!

So at the exit of the flow you've only got Substrat Pro, not another PPI10 foam, correct? 

Can we source Poret® foam here in the UK? I know SwissTropical sells it but I'm not sure that we wouldn't incur custom duties charges with the shipping...

All the best,
Fabio


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## doylecolmdoyle (10 Aug 2018)

Fabio Perini said:


> Hello Colm,
> 
> Appreciate your input very much. That's exactly what I'm running at the moment as I went ahead and did it yesterday. There is no doubt that the water isn't as clear as it was before though...
> 
> ...



I think would you be surprised how much difference head-height can make, specially a tiny pump like these, could be worth a try next time you are cleaning the filter to try it next to the tank, RE my jungle cube, I guess having lots of plants helps when over stocking the plants help with filtration / bio load. Also Co2 doesn't have to add any more maintenance, just add a little more ferts and make sure you do 50% water change weekly!


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## dw1305 (10 Aug 2018)

Hi all,





Fabio Perini said:


> Can we source Poret® foam here in the UK?


There is a guy who sells it on ebay in the UK, he is "greenpikeman". 





Fabio Perini said:


> So at the exit of the flow you've only got Substrat Pro, not another PPI10 foam, correct?


Yes.





Edvet said:


> But in this low flow environment with not that much bioload ( remember the plants do most of your filtering) the importance of the filter is less when compared with unplanted tanks.


That is it. 

Plants really increase the biological filtration capacity of the tank, by increasing the area where nitrification can take place, by being net oxygen producers and by directly taking up all three forms of fixed nitrogen (NH3/NH4+,NO2 & NO3). 

cheers Darrel


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## Fabio Perini (10 Aug 2018)

Hi Darrel,

Appreciate you taking the time to answer all the questions.

Have a nice weekend,
Fabio


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