Re: Mechanical Filtration

[Biplane10 at aol_com]

Roger,

Wondering whether you do vacuum graveling while changing water?

I can imagine leaving out the bacterial filtration sponges and biowheels on 
the filters, but I can't imagine leaving out mechanical filtration material. 
My filters tend to slow down pretty quickly after a cleaning and within a few 
weeks are quite messy with gunk. (Whatever that is--I'm sure a small portion 
is bacterial population.)

I'm trying to get a handle on how clean the gravel bed need be kept. Which of 
course would be a bit messier without filtration to get some of the floating 
stuff . . .

Sylvia

<< I have one tank where I run an Aquaclear, and I don't count that tank as a
 plant tank.  Aside from that I don't use any mechanical filtration on a
 regular basis -- unless you count the intake screens on the powerheads.
 
 I have a Magnum 350 that I use occasionally.  "Occasionally" means twice
 in the last year on one tank and never on any other tank.
 
 Mechanical filtration seems to be a seriously over-sold capability.
 Bubbles (oxygen and carbon dioxide) are the only thing that disturbes the
 clarity in any of my plant tanks, and I don't think filtration is going to
 get rid of the bubbles (or if it did would that be a good thing?). The
 only tank where I see floating debris is the only one that's regularly
 filtered.  The debris there is caused mostly by the fish stirring things
 up.
 
 Your mechanical filter will become a bacterial filter unless you keep it
 meticulously clean.
 
  >>

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