[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Re: Foam Filters
Wright suggested
> Keeping them down?
>
> 1. Use weighted filters.
>
> 2. Squeeze all the air out of the less-weighted ones and they *will* sink
(Jungle Dirt Magnet o/e).
>
> 3. Best of all is suction cups to the side glass, like the Tetra sponge
filters use.
An advantage of the Tetra sponges is that more of the side space is exposed
for filtration. When the Jungle filter sits on the tank bottom, flow through
must be cut down some.
A Jungle/Ginger/ whoever filter suspended an inch off the tank bottom may
not be aesthetically pleasing, but it may be more effective than one on the
bottom.
Filters just off the tank bottom do seem to trap an occasional fish who
tried to wedge itself in there. (Of course they might have died and been
drawn under too.) However killies have also been found to have wedged
themselves down the filter tube. A question that should be asked of those
scenarios - why were the fish so scared or aggressed upon that they were
hiding like that? It is even possible that the tank had undergone a pH
plunge and the fish were exhibiting "crazy man's disease" or acidosis. It
may be that the wedged killies were avoiding an aggressor.
Aside from looks and safety, there is another benefit of sitting sponge
filters pretty much flush on a gravel-less tank bottom. Really enthusiastic
spawners may even lay and fertilize some eggs right out in the open. This is
especially true of killies separated, conditioned and then brought together.
Some eggs will get drawn under the filter before they are eaten. The water
movement seems to allow them whatever oxygen they need. Sometime a dozen or
more developing eggs can be removed from sponges in the tanks of
enthusiastic (i.e. urgent) spawners.
Take a look just in case.
All the best!
Scott
---------------
See http://www.aka.org/AKA/subkillietalk.html to unsubscribe
Follow-Ups:
References: