Show off your Filter Mods!

[TeeJay]

Ok so I was mistaken on the mods I do for the penguin pro 125. That description I gave before is what I did ok my new aquatop Forza 30s.

What I did for the penguin is add a co op medium pre filter sponge. Removed the cartridges and put in 2 medium sponge pads into the cartridge spots. I use a piece of craft mesh in the front cartridge slot to keep the sponges away from the bio wheel.

I do have one of the penguin specific sponges that can either be added to the intake or put inside the filter on the right side by removing the come shaped filter media basket. I like the sponge well enough but it's a bit bulky inside of the tank and when you put it on the inside it tends to spot a bit of water out from around the top of it. But you can add something like bio rings or balls into the basket for extra media. 

I think I might cut one solid piece of green sponge that is thicker and replace it instead of the 2 black sponges. The green will make a tighter fit and stop some of the flow around the other style sponges since they are a bit of a loose fit.

[TOtrees]

On 6/16/2023 at 6:42 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

I LOVE the way the tidal has this adjustment with the plastic screw. Works so well and secure.

The mod I'm describing above is different from the adjustment screw on the Tidal (which does the same thing as the always-falls-out-peg-rotating-thingy on the bottom of the ACs). 

The adjustment screw doesn't change the distance that the filter body is set back from the lip of the frame, at the point where it rests on it. It pushes the bottom out, which allows adjustment of the angle or level of the filter. The block that I'm describing as my mod suggestion (under the upper red arrow below) shifts or pulls the entire filter forward, so there is better space between the inside rear wall of the tank and the uplift tube for the filter. On the ACs, esp with rimless tanks (like the one in the pic), the filter sits far back, meaning the uplift tube is snug against the back wall of the tank, esp if you use the level adjustment to pitch the filter forward, ie so any overflow is directed into the tank, not down the back onto the floor. This prevents the very popular prefilter sponge mod from being implemented. 

Hope this makes sense. 🤔

[nabokovfan87]

On 6/19/2023 at 6:39 AM, TOtrees said:

The mod I'm describing above is different from the adjustment screw on the Tidal (which does the same thing as the always-falls-out-peg-rotating-thingy on the bottom of the ACs). 

The tidal cannot fall out. It's mechanically attached with threads.

On 6/19/2023 at 6:39 AM, TOtrees said:

The block that I'm describing as my mod suggestion (under the upper red arrow below) shifts or pulls the entire filter forward, so there is better space between the inside rear wall of the tank and the uplift tube for the filter.

Ah I like this! It is often an issue when using a bigger filter on smaller tanks. It's basically a product of trying to design the interface for a rimmed tank.

With everything, just be careful not to add a single point of stress. The weight of the water in the back might do some flexing or spot loading on that inside bit of glass.

The mod though, wonderful idea I think. Using  something across the length of that spillway or the length of the HoB shouldn't cause any singular stress points and give you that room, Nice!