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  1. #11
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    Re: Biofilter setup question

    I bought the kind with 40 ft2/ft3 on the advice of the guy that sells them. I think it depends on how clean your water will be (solids and crap). He told me that if I wasn't filtering my water (which I'm not) then I better stick with a pretty open structure. I also am trying to keep it simple and had an old hot tub pump so I elevated my 12 ft3 of stuff above the fish tank and bought also one of the big square pattern spray nozzles from the guy at the web site and am circulating about 40 gpm through it all the time. I think for the number of fish I have (only 100 in 1800 gallons) that this will hopefully give me enough oxygen and biofiltration area to keep up with the ammonia.

    The verdict is still out on what I'm trying. I don't think the bacteria is fully established yet because my water is starting to smell sort of fishy. I am doing some major water changes right now to try to clear it up. The water goes on the stuff in the greenhouse. I also am not circulating my water through any gravel beds yet. If I was that would probably help. People on here are basically saying that the thing to do is circulate teh water through a grow bed and that will become the biofilter - no need for the structured packing. I just didn't set up that way - yet.

    I do think that bubbling underneath the structured packing would probably do a better job of aeration than what I am doing (I would bet my paycheck on it) but I didn't have an aerator and I did have a pump.

    I think what you are saying is right - just get a good sized aerator and some big air stones, submerge the blocks and then bubble air underneath. The air will lower the density of the combined water+air in the blocks and that will cause large amounts of water to be pulled up through the packing (blocks).

  2. #12
    Moderator badflash's Avatar
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    Re: Biofilter setup question

    Yes, that is how it works, but you MUST remove the solids. A gravel bed works great, but if you don't have that, you just have an aquarium. You need a filter to remove the solids.
    The best fertilizer is the farmer's shadow

  3. #13
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    Re: Biofilter setup question

    Badflash -

    How do you respond to people who say that the gravel bed will end up collecting all those solids and then going anaerobic and potentially releasing H2S or, at a minimum, remaining aerobic and the decomposition of the solids would consume oxygen?

    How do you clean you gravel bed?

    Thanks,
    Wes

  4. #14
    Moderator badflash's Avatar
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    Re: Biofilter setup question

    If you have a flood & drain system that bleeds it to the bottom, it never gets a chance to go anaerobic. That is why F&D's do so well. Put redworms in the beds and they wil break down the solids.

    Eventually any bed will need cleaning, but not for several years.
    The best fertilizer is the farmer's shadow

  5. #15
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    Re: Biofilter setup question

    Thanks, Badflash. I may yet give it a try!

    Wes

  6. #16
    Moderator jackalope's Avatar
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    Feb 2009
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    Re: Biofilter setup question

    Quote Originally Posted by Jackalope
    wpbullock have you got a linky to the scrubbie supplier? I'd like to see their prices and what they have to offer

    Thanks
    linky please
    I use the Linux Operating System ...... Free as in beer!
    You're never too old to learn something
    Aquaponics - food'n'fish at your doorstep

    Helena, Montana - Home of the Northernmost Monument to the Confederacy

  7. #17
    Moderator badflash's Avatar
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    Re: Biofilter setup question

    I watch the dollar stores. They have then all the time. Usually 5 for $1
    The best fertilizer is the farmer's shadow

  8. #18
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    Re: Biofilter setup question

    Jackalope -

    This is the note the gent sent me...

    Scrubbies are 3 x 3 x 1" or 9cu in
    12 x 12 x 12 =1728 cu in divided by 9 = 192 per cu ft...
    Depending on the Zip code you are located it runs less than 10.00 per 300
    (I can get 10-300 pcs in a 17x13x13 box)
    Just PM me with the amount you need and your zip code and I'll take it from there...
    ~Ben O aka zennzzo

    And I found him on monsterfishkeepers.com

    I don't have a link but do have an e-mail address. I hope it is ok to post it here but with some "encryption" using " at " for the @...

    ixoye.truth" at "gmail.com

  9. #19
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    Jan 2011
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    Iowa
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    Re: Biofilter setup question

    Looks like 6 for a dollar on sale here: http://premiumfishfood.com/zen/filratio ... -scrubbies

    I just bought a bunch of them. I need more biofiltration, and this looks like it will do the trick, and cheap too. My local dollar store had them in three packs for a buck, so even with shipping this is a much better deal.

  10. #20
    Members aquaarche's Avatar
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    Re: Biofilter setup question

    if any of you want to see my bio-filter I made go to http://chette.tripod.com/id40.html and you can see it and the materials I used to make it.

    I will make a video on how to make a bio-filter out of materials I have. the plastic chemical makeup it the same as the ones sold online but are more expensive. this home made version works well. for the moment my video camera is in the shop.

    Some one mentioned beads. Are those ceramic, glass, or plastic beads?

    We have those bio-scrubbies here too. and they are cheaper if you buy them in bulk.

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