My hob is overflowing and I have filter cartridge questions.

[Whitecloud09]

I am struggling with what to do with my 10g topfinn hob filter and cartridge. It has been a solid 3 months since changing my filter cartridge. It is dirty, and I mean dirty, and the filter has been overflowing (going over the small part by the outflow of the hob on the right of the picture which is highlighted down below. But I have a crushed coral bag in the hob and have no room to put a second cartridge in for a week or two so bacteria will get in there, so transferring bacteria is what I mean. So could I take out my crushed coral bag from hob? The crushed coral is for my snail, because my water is really soft and crushed coral has good stuff in it for snails I hear. But no room for a second cartridge. I know I know, I have a topfin “replacement” cartridge in there rn. Yes I was tricked when I was a newbie thinking that you can only use those for this  Specific filter. Wrong! I know you can use filter pads that much much longer. But this one is starting to break down and all. So need to change.

So main Q. Can I take crushed coral completely out of the tank for a week or two to put the replacement cartridge behind the old and present one in the hob. Will the water have water quality issues if I take crushed coral out of tank? Should I even be worrying about that. Could I put the crushed coral sitting loose in tank or hang it from something? Does my nerite snail need crushed all the time? Whoops that was like 5 questions lol.

Also idk if my tank is getting clogged, because the water is overrunning a spot where water shouldn’t be. And I read on instructions a long time ago saying, if it overruns that part on the outlet you need to change your cartridge. I guess that’s right.

I hope you get my point, kinda hard to explain. But I need to change the filter cartridge and need help with these Qs I have mentioned. TIA guys and I gladly will take any info I receive. 🙂

-Whitecloud09

[johnnyxxl]

Ok easy peasy, you have tons of good bacteria in your coral bag, swap cartridge or replace cartridge with filter pads.  Either way you are ready to go.  That's probably why you're having over flow issues is the cartridge is clogged up 

[Tlindsey]

I suggest order a aquarium approved filter pad that can be cut to size. The filter pad should last for months even years depending on what you buy. The pad will eventually be seeded with beneficial bacteria. The only negative no carbon but I personally stopped using carbon many years ago.  The pad could be squeezed and dunked in water removed during a water change. 

[Whitecloud09]

On 7/11/2024 at 12:25 PM, johnnyxxl said:

Ok easy peasy, you have tons of good bacteria in your coral bag, swap cartridge or replace cartridge with filter pads.  Either way you are ready to go.  That's probably why you're having over flow issues is the cartridge is clogged up 

Ohhhhhhh ok thanks. The filter pad you recommended to me a while back didn’t fit. To thick. Have any other Amazon recommendations for me @johnnyxxl? I would love a link if possible. Thank you so much. You simply cleared a problem which I thought was so confusing. 

 

On 7/11/2024 at 12:30 PM, Tlindsey said:

I suggest order a aquarium approved filter pad that can be cut to size. The filter pad should last for months even years depending on what you buy. The pad will eventually be seeded with beneficial bacteria. The only negative no carbon but I personally stopped using carbon many years ago.  The pad could be squeezed and dunked in water removed during a water change. 

Thanks a lot. Gotta link to a pad that lasts longer? Thank you. 

Edited July 11 by Whitecloud09
Typo

[lefty o]

if you have a new cartridge on hand, just swap it out.

[Whitecloud09]

On 7/11/2024 at 12:51 PM, lefty o said:

if you have a new cartridge on hand, just swap it out.

I do. The topfinn carbon one. Will do. Thanks 

[TOtrees]

You can drop the crushed coral bag into the tank for sure, and that will improve the flow through your filter. Also clean or replace the filter media. 

[Whitecloud09]

On 7/11/2024 at 12:59 PM, TOtrees said:

You can drop the crushed coral bag into the tank for sure, and that will improve the flow through your filter. Also clean or replace the filter media. 

Thank you. I am now replacing cartridge. Will see if it improves the flow.

It worked! No more clogged hob! Pictures.

It was very very clogged and yucky. Thanks everyone.

Edited July 11 by Whitecloud09

[EricksonAquatics]

An easy solution would be to grab the Co Ops coarse sponge pad they sell and cut it to fit.

Or Amazon sells AquaClear sponge pads I used one time, but you’d have to look around to see which one might fit your filter. They’re nice and coarse like the Co Op ones though!

[gabdewulf]

You could also rinse out the current filter with tap water and stick that back in the HOB.

[Whitecloud09]

On 7/11/2024 at 1:06 PM, EricksonAquatics said:

An easy solution would be to grab the Co Ops coarse sponge pad they sell and cut it to fit.

Yes thank you, I already replaced with same cartridge but it was new. I will do this next time for sure! Glad I had BB in the crushed coral, if that wasn’t the case, idk what I would’ve done. 

On 7/11/2024 at 1:07 PM, gabdewulf said:

You could also rinse out the current filter with tap water and stick that back in the HOB.

To late. Whoops. But that is a good idea. I will do that when I get a different pad taht lasts longer. Well maybe not. Let me clean it, real quick, haven’t tossed it yet.

Didn’t really do anything sadly, but thanks for the idea @gabdewulf. It is breaking down, tore in one spot.

Edited July 11 by Whitecloud09

[Tlindsey]

Something like this if you ever decide not wanting to use the cartridge anymore. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Aquarium-Foam-Filter-Sponges-Biological-Sponge-Filter-Biological-Sponge-Pad-For-Aquarium-Fish-Pond/5844854149?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=101632300&adid=222222222285844854149_101632300_14069003552_202077872&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=42423897272&wl4=aud-393207457166:pla-295289030566&wl5=9015345&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=5356954734&wl11=online&wl12=5844854149_101632300&veh=sem&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhb60BhClARIsABGGtw8wGcy7yBoF9HrQyN2VNS-uM1yc9wWT4nFgLu2slnK9TzeKuIyKickaAsUYEALw_wcB

[Whitecloud09]

On 7/11/2024 at 1:13 PM, Tlindsey said:

Something like this if you ever decide not wanting to use the cartridge anymore. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Aquarium-Foam-Filter-Sponges-Biological-Sponge-Filter-Biological-Sponge-Pad-For-Aquarium-Fish-Pond/5844854149?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=101632300&adid=222222222285844854149_101632300_14069003552_202077872&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=42423897272&wl4=aud-393207457166:pla-295289030566&wl5=9015345&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=5356954734&wl11=online&wl12=5844854149_101632300&veh=sem&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhb60BhClARIsABGGtw8wGcy7yBoF9HrQyN2VNS-uM1yc9wWT4nFgLu2slnK9TzeKuIyKickaAsUYEALw_wcB

Very helpful. Thank you for the link @Tlindsey.

[mynameisnobody]

One day, I realized my hang on back was overflowing when it flowed over the top and onto an extension cord. The polyfil was clogging everything up. Do not overlook this because luckily I caught it while I was home, but if I wasn’t there surely it would have not went so well. As I’ve said to you before, the sooner you get rid of those cartridges, the better off you’ll be. I’d rather you not learn the hard way, but that’s up to you. The sponges recommended above are wayyyyyyyyy cheaper than rebuying cartridges constantly. Good luck. 

[Whitecloud09]

On 7/11/2024 at 2:33 PM, mynameisnobody said:

One day, I realized my hang on back was overflowing when it flowed over the top and onto an extension cord. The polyfil was clogging everything up. Do not overlook this because luckily I caught it while I was home, but if I wasn’t there surely it would have not went so well. As I’ve said to you before, the sooner you get rid of those cartridges, the better off you’ll be. I’d rather you not learn the hard way, but that’s up to you. The sponges recommended above are wayyyyyyyyy cheaper than rebuying cartridges constantly. Good luck. 

Absolutely will get the sponge pads. I am thinking of ordering soon and replacing this early, because, why not? Even tho I might throw a dollar or two out from buying the cartridge that is currently in there I think it might be worth it. Thank you @mynameisnobody, I feel like I have already learned the hard way, lol.

Thank you @johnnyxxl, @Tlindsey, @EricksonAquatics, @gabdewulf, @mynameisnobody, @TOtrees, and @lefty o. I greatly appreciate it.

[TOtrees]

On 7/11/2024 at 2:33 PM, mynameisnobody said:

One day, I realized my hang on back was overflowing when it flowed over the top and onto an extension cord.

Kind suggestion: most HOBs have some sort of angle adjustment screw at the bottom. If possible they should be set at an angle where any overflow runs into the tank, not over the back. If the filter isn't set up to do that you should be able to use a shim or some kind of spacer to achieve the same thing. Won't solve every overflow scenario, but should cover most. 

[mynameisnobody]

@TOtrees I have it installed, but the polyfil was so clogged, it wouldn’t have mattered whether it had it or not. 

[HelplessNewbie]

I place a bottle cap between the hob and the outside surface of the tank to angle the hob.

I also made a bottomless catch cup/funnel out of old plastic water bottle that can hang where the water falls into it from the filter, then place a media bag of crushed coral in the funnel. Not pretty, but I only use the one hob we have in the household in quarantine. This was our first filter, but we moved on to sponge, internal, ugf and diy filters that remain in the tank to reduce the risk of water damage from overflows.

I also second replacing the cartridge filters (when they finally wear out) with filter foam. Lasts longer and no need to keep buying cartridges.

Hope this helps.

Edited July 12 by HelplessNewbie

[Whitecloud09]

On 7/12/2024 at 11:19 AM, HelplessNewbie said:

I place a bottle cap between the hob and the outside surface of the tank to angle the hob.

I also made a bottomless catch cup/funnel out of old plastic water bottle that can hang where the water falls into it from the filter, then place a media bag of crushed coral in the funnel. Not pretty, but I only use the one hob we have in the household in quarantine. This was our first filter, but we moved on to sponge, internal, ugf and diy filters that remain in the tank to reduce the risk of water damage from overflows.

I also second replacing the cartridge filters (when they finally wear out) with filter foam. Lasts longer and no need to keep buying cartridges.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the info. I did help. Ya now i am more into Sponge filters, i love them so much more! I will replace with foam. Thank you again.