Tidal filter spounges and flow

[svachon9]

I have a Tidal 110 filter with 3 sponges.  How can I stop them from floating up?  When I put a bio-bag on top after about a 2 weeks to a month, water goes to the overflow.  I subscribe to the practices of Aquariumscience.org that says you should not clean your filters often.  So cleaning my filter every water change is not an option.  Any ideas?

 

[doktor zhivago]

The filter will collect things and that will eventually make it start overflowing. You may want to try a coarser sponge but a hang on back will always require some sort of maintenance to keep it from flooding your house

[svachon9]

Sure but the thing is if I add 3 sponges they float.  That's the real problem not the maintenance. 

[doktor zhivago]

On 5/14/2024 at 3:18 PM, svachon9 said:

Sure but the thing is if I add 3 sponges they float.  That's the real problem not the maintenance. 

Get a larger sheet of sponge and cut it a little too big for the space and it shouldn't float. Eventually the water is gonna go to the overflow regardless of whether the sponges don't float or the biobag is on top as the media gets clogged

[Pepere]

I dont have a high opinion of the Tidal Series.  I lived with one for a year before wrapping the cord up and letting it collect dust on a shelf in the cellar.

 

not only does it go into an overflow over the basket top within days of cleaning it, there is massive bypass holes in the basket where flow completely bypasses the sponges anyway.

My solution was to replace it with an 07 series Fluval Canister filter and never looked back…. Should have done it from the git go…

 

as to frequency of cleaning the filter, I opt for once a month as recommended in the owners manual.  I definitely found monthly servicing reduces algae issues as you are removing dissolved organics producing detritus.  I still have the crystal clear water the aquarium science article talks about.

[quikv6]

My suggestion to "fix" the Tidal 110 is to replace with an AquaClear instead. Having used both for an extended period of time, I find that the Tidals seem to bypass the media much too easily.

Edited May 14 by quikv6

[Pepere]

On 5/14/2024 at 4:47 PM, quikv6 said:

I find that the Tidals seem to bypass the media much too easily.

I agree.

 

Presumably, for a filter to “filter” water, the water should go “through” the filter media, instead of around it….

[Airborne 82nd]

Why do you feel the need for three sponges? And what sponge are you using? You clean the filters as often as you need as long as you don't kill the bb. You need to RE read this. I too am a big fan of the site https://aquariumscience.org/index.php/1-1-5-filters/

You don't say your tank size or your bio load or how long it has been setup. This will help to determine how to setup your 110. 

You clean your filter when it starts to plug up . You have your 110 setup wrong. And by the way your tidal will NOT flood your house if setup correctly it over flows back into the tank not the floor

I have my Tidal 75 setup with one course stock sponge then about 2 inches of filter floss then a bag of bio rings on top not for weight but to have on hand if I need a hospital tank. I turn it wide open as it plugs up the floss I start turning it down so it doesn't bypass. The next time I break it down I'm going to mod the filter tray like this 

Now I also run a fluval 407 only because the T 75 was not big enough for my load ( wife bought it for me). It is setup with stock pre filters. Course stock sponge in bottom tray. Bio rings in the other three trays no floss. With this setup I just grab the floss out of the tidal when it goes into bypass like it should. Takes less than ten minutes I break it down pump and all in six to eight weeks. The fluval can go four months. your milage may vary don't over feed This is a 75g with one Oscar and one Pleco

Hope this helps

[svachon9]

On 5/14/2024 at 6:42 PM, Airborne 82nd said:

Why do you feel the need for three sponges? And what sponge are you using? You clean the filters as often as you need as long as you don't kill the bb. You need to RE read this. I too am a big fan of the site https://aquariumscience.org/index.php/1-1-5-filters/

You don't say your tank size or your bio load or how long it has been setup. This will help to determine how to setup your 110. 

You clean your filter when it starts to plug up . You have your 110 setup wrong. And by the way your tidal will NOT flood your house if setup correctly it over flows back into the tank not the floor

I have my Tidal 75 setup with one course stock sponge then about 2 inches of filter floss then a bag of bio rings on top not for weight but to have on hand if I need a hospital tank. I turn it wide open as it plugs up the floss I start turning it down so it doesn't bypass. The next time I break it down I'm going to mod the filter tray like this 

Now I also run a fluval 407 only because the T 75 was not big enough for my load ( wife bought it for me). It is setup with stock pre filters. Course stock sponge in bottom tray. Bio rings in the other three trays no floss. With this setup I just grab the floss out of the tidal when it goes into bypass like it should. Takes less than ten minutes I break it down pump and all in six to eight weeks. The fluval can go four months. your milage may vary don't over feed This is a 75g with one Oscar and one Pleco

Hope this helps

Ha, I only asked how to keep my sponges from floating.  Thanks!

[Airborne 82nd]

Two things I forgot I also run a sponge on the Tidal intake tube and I have two hyger 4 1/2 inch air disk. My heaters sit over the air disk this spreads the heat one in each rear corner.

[Airborne 82nd]

Ok  that is why I ask what kind of sponge. They are not all the same.  Did you  latch the basket down with the blue slider? Mine don't float but I use the one stock blue filter. You want the simple answer put a brick on top of them 😉Your filter is setup wrong it should bypass before it can push your media up. You sure it is not the whole white basket floating?

[madmark285]

On 5/14/2024 at 3:01 PM, svachon9 said:

How can I stop them from floating up?

Put a couple rocks on top of them.

[svachon9]

Yes the basket it locked down.  Set up wrong?  Who can you set it up wrong?  The sponges are from Seachem and made for the filter.

[Airborne 82nd]

What I mean is something is wrong if they are floating but you know that. Try it with just one sponge then a bag of bio-bag and see if it floats. It should not. You can not stop it from going into bypass mode when it gets clogged up that is what it is designed to do. Now when you say " The water goes to the over flow" does the blue button pop up? Or do you mean the water comes up over the top rear of the white basket? 

Edited May 15 by Airborne 82nd