AIO Filter Chamber Questions

[rfisher3]

So I just set up a 25 gallon AIO tank. This is my first salt water and AIO system. The section where water flows into the filter system in the back seems to not be very powerful. Maybe I just don’t understand. I’ll include some photos to help explain. It almost seems like it’s not sucking water. I can seem skim on the surface go right past the intake.

in one of the included pictures you’ll see a cut out in the pump section. It leads to the main part of the tank. I wonder if my water is even being filtered or if it’s just being pulled from the main then pumped out again. Not going through the media. Also the surface of the water seems very still in the back…I don’t know what’s going on.

Hopefully I can get some help.

 

[MrRedAmber]

There's a white thing that goes on the overflow that will help skim the surface water

See my build thread to see how it looks. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/mrredambers-aquatop-recife-24g.872463/

 

[rfisher3]

There's a white thing that goes on the overflow that will help skim the surface water

See my build thread to see how it looks. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/mrredambers-aquatop-recife-24g.872463/

Do you think I should put filter floss over the sponge? What is the sponge doing for me? Also, should I push the sponge all the way down? I notice you have the same tank as me.

 

[tharbin]

Welcome to R2R! I can't really help with your tank specifics but it seems @MrRedAmber has the same tank so I'm sure he will help. What I can tell you is that it looks like you have decent surface agitation so it seems the pump is working well and the only way the pump can move water from its chamber to the display section is if that water goes through the media. It falls through whatever is in the first (overflow) chamber then goes into any additional chambers before going to the last (return) chamber. So it is being filtered by at least the sponge. The sponge is a mechanical filter. It captures particles in the water and it needs to be cleaned often or it will start to act as a biological filter with organics breaking down in it--you do not want this to happen. Just take the sponge out every couple of days and rinse it thoroughly. Don't let it sit untouched for weeks or it will cause more problems than it cures. Filter floss is just another type of mechanical filter. Whether you use floss, sponge, or both is personal preference and your tank design plays a part in what works best. I would ask @MrRedAmber for advice. I personally use floss as I'm too lazy to use sponges without causing issues.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Cleaning the sponge every cpl days with tap water will only keep introducing silicate to the tank...
D

 

[tharbin]

In taking another look at your photos it does appear that if you have a weir plate (according to @MrRedAmber a white piece) to raise the water level in the display area a little bit it will help with both surface skimming and put a little more force behind the water overflowing into the first chamber. Note you will need to add SALTWATER to the tank if you raise the display area level. If you have an ATO turn it off while adjusting the water height so that it doesn't trigger and add more top off (RODI) water during the adjustment.

 

[tharbin]

Cleaning the sponge every cpl days with tap water will only keep introducing silicate to the tank...
D

True, more than likely. I should have mentioned to use RODI or distilled to rinse the sponge.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Or tank water when u do a water change. I just don't want to cause problems for a possible new sw tank owner.
D

 

[rfisher3]

In taking another look at your photos it does appear that if you have a weir plate (according to @MrRedAmber a white piece) to raise the water level in the display area a little bit it will help with both surface skimming and put a little more force behind the water overflowing into the first chamber. Note you will need to add SALTWATER to the tank if you raise the display area level. If you have an ATO turn it off while adjusting the water height so that it doesn't trigger and add more top off (RODI) water during the adjustment.

So what you are saying is that the main part of the tank should have a much higher water level than the filtration side? Also I do have a lot of space under the sponge. Should I push the sponge all the way to the bottom of the tank?

Then finally...if you use filter floss how much do you put in there? The sponge is probably like 15 inches or so. Don't have exact measurements. But it fills up most of the chamber. With floss it is so skinny...

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Oooooo yes I exp the same problem when I bought a fluval flex 9g.
Simply cut the sponge in half. Push it down into the chamber and yes you can place filter floss on top of the sponge.
D

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

I think I only used 1/4 of the sponge to be honest. Lol
D

 

[MrRedAmber]

In taking another look at your photos it does appear that if you have a weir plate (according to @MrRedAmber a white piece)

Thank you for letting me know the proper name

The one thing I like about the weir plate is that you can see the surface skim falling into it and getting captured. I feel like it does a better job than with it off, but others have had success with it off, so...

I've done some research into this topic before about the sponge. From what I've read, the most maintainable solution is cutting the sponge so that it's only a few inches and place filter floss on top of it. The sponge will keep the floss in place and you will change the floss out as needed. This will help in future maintenance where you need to take the sponge and floss out to Python/vacuum out the detritus in the first chamber.

 

[MrRedAmber]

Then finally...if you use filter floss how much do you put in there?

This is all situational, we can all give you estimates but you need to gauge what works best for your setup.

 

[tharbin]

So what you are saying is that the main part of the tank should have a much higher water level than the filtration side? Also I do have a lot of space under the sponge. Should I push the sponge all the way to the bottom of the tank?

Then finally...if you use filter floss how much do you put in there? The sponge is probably like 15 inches or so. Don't have exact measurements. But it fills up most of the chamber. With floss it is so skinny...

No. I'm just saying that having the display part a little higher, maybe another 1/4 inch would help with both skimming and put a little more force behind the water hitting the filter area. If you have a weir plate, use it and raise the display area a small amount. That sponge is WAY longer than it needs to be. 90% of what it will catch will be caught in the first two to three inches (depending mainly on pore sizes in the sponge). Also set it down in the chamber a little bit. There should be a sweet spot where the water tumbles onto it but doesn't make noise, usually somewhere around a half inch to an inch or so below the display area water line.

If the sponge is course-pored then it would do no good to put floss above it as anything the sponge would have caught will be caught by the floss instead. You could use the sponge though as mainly a support for a layer of floss. Throw the floss away whenever it gets dirty (usually two or three days) and then rinse the sponge during weekly water changes.

 

[Just John]

About that hole. If the water level drops below the opening at the top of the tank, then the pump will empty out the back and circulation will stop. The point of the hole is to make sure that water can get to the pump if the level drops below the opening at the top. Your tank may have come with a little plug for that hole. If you plug it up all of the water will go through the filtration system instead of just some of it

 

[tharbin]

Thank you for letting me know the proper name

The one thing I like about the weir plate is that you can see the surface skim falling into it and getting captured. I feel like it does a better job than with it off, but others have had success with it off, so...

I've done some research into this topic before about the sponge. From what I've read, the most maintainable solution is cutting the sponge so that it's only a few inches and place filter floss on top of it. The sponge will keep the floss in place and you will change the floss out as needed. This will help in future maintenance where you need to take the sponge and floss out to Python/vacuum out the detritus in the first chamber.

Too bad I didn't read your post before I rambled on. I could have saved a lot of typing...

 

[rfisher3]

Ok. I'll give it a try. Thanks for all the help everyone.

 

[GARRIGA]

Something to consider. Remove the pump. Insert the inflow of a canister to the last compartment where that pump was. Use the canisters outflow to drive the AIO outflow. This adds additional filtration capacity and more if needed. Most canisters allow flow to be reduced in half.

 

[MrRedAmber]

Best of luck!

 

[rfisher3]

Best of luck!

Since we have the same tank...did you plug the little hole on the pump chamber baffle?