acceptable filter setup (and UV) ?

[TimboS]

Hi All,

A question regarding (cannister) filter setup - I think mine is an AquaOne CF700 (on a 120 L tank).

I have it configured as such (using entirely AquaOne products):

Bottom (of three) cannisters = bioballs covered with bionoodles (the bright white smooth type) topped with a thick coarse sponge

Middle cannister = lots of sintered glass covered with a medium sponge

Top cannister = a pouch of carbon and a pouch of zeolite side by side, covered with plenty of filter wool.


The water is quite clear (but not *sparkling* clear), the nitrates come in at about 15ppm, the KH is 2 degrees and the GH 8 degrees.

Given the difference in height between the filter output and top of the tank, the flow rate with all this inside would probably turn the contents over twice an hour, i.e. about 200L / hr for about 100 L of water. (I must measure it tonight now I think of it !)


I am looking to add a UV unit, and by my reading here on the forum a pondmaster 9 or 11 W would do the job, but given my flow rate which would do the best job I wonder?

I also want to make sure I have the best products in my filter for maximum water quality. In this sense, is my setup fine or for better results would I be better off replacing something with something else, e.g. the zeolite with Seachem purigen/hypersorb or Nitrazorb?

I know there is opinions for and against each product out there, but I am all ears so to speak.

Thanks,

Timbo

[Matt15]

A question regarding (cannister) filter setup - I think mine is an AquaOne CF700 (on a 120 L tank).

I have it configured as such (using entirely AquaOne products):

Bottom (of three) cannisters = bioballs covered with bionoodles (the bright white smooth type) topped with a thick coarse sponge

Middle cannister = lots of sintered glass covered with a medium sponge

Top cannister = a pouch of carbon and a pouch of zeolite side by side, covered with plenty of filter wool.

The water is quite clear (but not *sparkling* clear), the nitrates come in at about 15ppm, the KH is 2 degrees and the GH 8 degrees.


What question are you asking here mate?
I'm pretty sure the CF700 only has 2 media trays so you must have either a CF1000 or a CF1200.
The order of your media sounds fine so no problems there. :D

I know little about UV units sorry... but i'm sure somebody here can help you.

[TimboS]

err, umm, oops !!

Was wondering if the order of mech/bio/chem seems correct. I have heard some say that chem must come after bio and vice-versa and just don't know who to believe. I guess however it's a case of if it ain't broke don't fix it...

The filter is a CF700.

Thanks,

Timbo

[Mr Discus]

You have your baskets in the canister filter put in the wrong order. You need to reverse the order (just swapping the top and bottom baskets, but keeping the middle one in the moddle).

Eg: Bottom = Carbon/Filter Wool
Middle = Med Sponge/Sintered Glass
Top = Coarse Sponge/Bio Balls/Noodles

The idea is this - your water enters your canister from the top, the first lot of media needs to remove the larger particles and then start the biological filtration. The middle basket needs to contain a slightly finer sponge to remove the particles the top basket couldn't, and then continue with the biological filtration (usually a different type of bio media, which your is). The bottom and last basket needs to contain carbon if you use it, or a very fine sponge, then filter wool to remove the smallest particles possible.

This is the basis of how all canister filters work (as a basic rule).

Try and reverse the order your baskets are to match this and you might find your water comes out a little cleaner.

[Matt15]

Yeh the AquaOne series actually starts from the bottom up or reverse to that sequence if you like.

The IN let goes down a tube to the bottom of the filter. Then makes its way up through the media baskets to the top. So that sequence is right. Keep your carbon at the top.


Timbo
Are you sure your filter is a CF700? The CF1200 has three media baskets and the CF1000 only has two baskets which is slightly smaller/cheaper. The CF700 is then smaller and cheaper again.

Even online it says the Aqua One CF-700
Features:
• Water turnover: 700 l/hr
• Filter media capacity: 6.5 litres in 2 baskets

I think you've got a 1200 mate or a very early model 700.

[Mr Discus]

Ah fair enough - I thought that might have been the case (filter starting from the bottom).

So yeah ignore my rant above Timbo! Keep the baskets in the current order you have them.

[TimboS]

Thanks chaps.

Rant all you want - ultimately it stirs thoughts and that's a good thing.

Matt, the filter box says CF700. I will look on the unit itself tonight and see what it is labelled with. If it is an "Early" CF700, would the filter still start from the bottom I wonder?

[Matt15]

Mate my comment about it being an early model, is just a guess that maybe Aquaone produced a 700 many years ago with 3 baskets.

As for the filters sequence, just check for yourself. I have always known the CF series to start from the bottom up. I have two CF1200's running as we speak.

[TimboS]

Gotta admit that I am a tad puzzled. Perhaps a mislabel on the box means I got a better deal than I should have ! It was matched with a 124 Litre AquaOne Euroview tank.

Makes sense to me that it starts at the bottom since there is a tube from the top all the way to the bottom and impeller in the lid. When I changed my substrate from pebbles to sand and subsequently cleaned the filter there was a heap of fine grit in the filter wool just under the impeller at the top of the topmost cannister so yes, seems like it's setup properly.

Is your second filter necessary given your tank size, or do you use it for that bit "extra" filtration?

[Matt15]

Mate you'll find theres a considerable difference in canister size between the 700, 1000 and 1200 sizes. The box sizes match the size of the canisters so there's noway you'd fit a 1200 into a 700 box.

The two 1200's I have run on different tanks.

[TimboS]

We that makes me perplexed. As you say, perhaps it's not a current model.

What I find curious is that the bottom area where the water flows before turning up to pass through the cannisters is as big as a cannister itself - so the whole unit is as tall as four cannisters and the lid.

It's not the most powerful kid on the block though. With my setup as described above and a height differential of say 1m, it puts out roughly 220 L/hr.

Just to make myself sound weird, I had thought of attaching another CF type unit that is primarily super-duper chemical filtration, i.e. purigen, hypersorb... But, I do not want to stir the water up with so much output flow that the discus can't find a nice still section of water.

[Matt15]

Tim check and double check the filters branding and its box. There should be a compliance sticker attached to the powerhead unit at the top which will give you the specifications of your filter and its model.

The size and power of your canister filter should be dependant on the size of your tank.

Here are the specs for the AquaOne CF series:
Model Canister Size
Aquis 500 120 litres 500 L/Hr 1.5 m 2.3 L 240V/50Hz 10.5 W
Aquis 700 180 litres 700 L/Hr 1.7 m 3.0 L 240V/50Hz 12 W
Aquis 1000 250 litres 1000 L/Hr 1.8 m 6.5 L 240V/50Hz 20.5 W
Aquis 1200 300 litres 1200 L/Hr 2.0 m 7.5 L 240V/50Hz 22 W

I personally find the water flow of the 1200's too powerful for my 3ft tanks which is why I have the spray bars pointed directly at the glass. Discus prefer the still water........ :D

[TimboS]

The filter box is AquaOne with the sky blue colour. Again, it states CF700. What I will do is check the actual unit for labelling and the year of manufacture and see what I get....

[TimboS]

The filter states AquaOne CF700, 700l/hr and max height 1.7m.

The image on the box looks just like the filter - three cannisters.

The intake passes through a pipe all the way to the bottom so the order does need to be, from bottom up, coarse, medium, fine.

Looks like I will have to get rid of my carbon though since I am about to start using one of Seachem's Flourish products. Now the question is whether to replace it with purigen, hypersob, nitrasorb, etc etc !! Decisions, decisions.

Timbo

[ILLUSN]

I wouldn't use any chemical filtration in a p[lanted tank, it defeats the purpouse of planting and fertilizing, fill it with good bio media.

[TimboS]

Any chemical filtration?

Is carbon deemed chemical filtration considering it's not an absorber but rather a micro-fine filter? It does not lower my GH (by anything my test kit can measure) so does it really have much of an impact on the constituents of things like Flourish?

What about purigen - it supposedly goes after nitrogenous organic waste and isn't it better for the discus to not be exposed to such things?