# Aqua one inbuilt filter systems



## mattttam (31 Oct 2015)

I've taken delivery of an aqua one trio betta tank today. 

I've never had a tank with hidden / inbuilt filtration. It's not set up yet, but I have 6 sections in the back - one for the pump and heater, one for two cartridges (media and carbon) and two for 30ppi foam sections. I'm guessing this is a standard set up in these types of tanks?

I don't want to not use the two empty sections - so I'm thinking filling one with filter wool, and the other with filter media (possibly ceramic rings in bags). Any reason why I should not add more filter capability? 

Also the cartridges, whilst not terribly expensive, I'd like to be able to replace them myself, especially the carbon one. I know carbon should be changed every 6 weeks or so. But Aqua one advise the media be changed too every 16 weeks or so?! Which seems madness to me, surely you only want to change media once it's gone? They look like they have a screen glued onto the front. So perhaps some handy ukaps members have a good method of re-using them?

Thank you!


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## Julian (31 Oct 2015)

If you put too much media in those 6 sections, you may restrict the flow so much that the return pump works quicker than the rate that they refill. I think this is the only thing you need to worry about in that regard.

I can't give any advice on the carbon, pretty sure you can live without it though.


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## dw1305 (31 Oct 2015)

Hi all, 





mattttam said:


> Any reason why I should not add more filter capability?


You want to keep all the filter material aerobic. 

Personally I'd replace all the fine sponge, cartridges  and floss with a coarser sponge (PPI10, PPI15 or PPI20), or any ceramic/sintered glass media of your choice. You can keep using the carbon sponge and ceramic media/ ceramic cartridge as long as you want. I'm still using sponges that I bought 15 years ago, and ceramic media lasts eternally.

Just buy a a sheet of 20/25mm thick sponge and cut to shape. I bought my last sheet of sponge from <"http://www.pumpsandspares.com/other-items/miscfoamsbrushes.php">, but there are plenty of other sellers on ebay etc.

You need to keep the 6th section with the pump and heater media free.

cheers Darrel


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## mattttam (31 Oct 2015)

Thanks to you both!

Darrell - I always thought 30ppi was a better for aerobic bacteria?

Currently my first filter space (hits the cartridges first) isn't fine filtering - which surely should be the first or second stage? So I think that'll be my first change. You say coarse sponge, any preference for that over filter floss? Presumably it's just a better aerobic surface?

Cheers mate.


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## dw1305 (1 Nov 2015)

Hi all, 





mattttam said:


> Darrell - I always thought 30ppi was a better for aerobic bacteria? Currently my first filter space (hits the cartridges first) isn't fine filtering - which surely should be the first or second stage? So I think that'll be my first change.


 Yes you can have floss first as long as you change it regularly. I always have a sponge on the filter intake to act as a mechanical filter, although I assume this isn't possible with this tank. In this case, because it is a relatively shallow trickle filter, it doesn't really matter too much what filter media you have.

I think there is a lot of confusion about chemical, mechanical and biological filtration.

*Chemical media*
I don't like the regular use chemical media, they are always a short term "plaster" for a long term problem. Activated carbon is useful for filtering out medications etc. and can be used longer term as a biological medium (but it will no longer be "activated").

*Mechanical Media*
Floss is a mechanical media, and it filters out all particle sizes, the problem with this is that it clogs fairly rapidly. Because it is a dense, fine medium, water flow is slowed, and if there are decomposable items among the filtered particles, the water can become de-oxygenated before it encounters the biological filter media. I'm not keen on floss in any circumstances, other than as an emergency mechanical media, where it is used for a very short time period. I'm keen on a few tannins etc. in planted tanks, so I'm not a fan of "polished" water.

*Biological media*
Fine (PPI30) sponge acts as both a mechanical and biological filter medium. In a situation where dissolved oxygen isn't limited it can be a viable option, and in the very specific case of a "Hamburg Matten Filter"  simultaneous aerobic nitrification (conversion of NH3 > NO2 > NO3)  and anaerobic de-nitrification (NO3 > N2 gas) can occur successfully.





mattttam said:


> You say coarse sponge, any preference for that over filter floss? Presumably it's just a better aerobic surface?


Yes, it has less pore space for microbial colonisation, but it doesn't greatly impede water flow. If you read aquarium related web pages, blogs, watch youtube etc  then most of the discussion is about specific bacteria, fillter media pore space and ammonia. If you read the scientific literature from aquaculture, waste water treatment and pollution biology nearly all the discussion is about oxygen and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD).

The reason for all this is that the prime metric we are interested in is dissolved oxygen, and nearly everything else is just "froth".  We want the biological filtration media to be fully oxygenated (for the oxygen supply to exceed the oxygen demand). In the case of a planted tank, with your filter, it is going to be quite difficult to arrive at a situation where you have de-oxygenated media.

*Plants*
Another area of confusion are plants, a lot of the aquarium related literature either discounts them, or looks at them as a disadvantage because of their night-time oxygen use, or competition with the filter bacteria for  NH4+. This is all wrong, plants and particularly those with access to aerial levels of CO2 and O2,  are the single most important factor in biological filtration. Plant/microbe systems are about an order of magnitude more efficient than microbe only systems, and again this is mainly an oxygen effect.

cheers Darrel


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