Show me your filter optimizations

[Will Billy]

I sorta took this idea from the “show me your favorite makeshift tool” thread. I love tweaking and engineering things that make life easier. With so many different types of filters and ways you can optimize, or customize, i thought this would be a fun little thread too. Mine is on how i optimized my aquarium co-op brand sponge filters. I have natural driftwood in my tank, and enjoy my tannins for the benefits for my fish pets. However to prevent the tannins from making my tank too dark i chose to polish my water just a bit with activated charcoal instead of purigen as i thought purigen would be to aggressive and remove too much tannins. Pictured below is my nano sponge filter for my quarantine tank that i used as an example for how i use my medium sponge filters. Rest assured i do not use carbon in my quarantine tank, i just didnt feel like pulling out and disassembling my wet functioning medium sponge filters. I only use a small amount that sinks to the bottom of the inner tube of the sponge section to not restrict water flow and turns my sponge filter into a bio/chemical filter. The carbon pellets last about a month which is perfect timing for my once a month sponge filter maintenance. 

[FrozenFins]

I have a internal filter (the fluval spec 5 gallon) the flow is too much for my betta so I put a intake sponge on the outake, I wish I had pictures but I cant seem to find any. works great though.

[AdamTill]

I’m working on a river tank and wanted something for my fx5 that would be easy to clean but not clog up too quickly. I’m also not in the US so can’t just order an intake sponge easily.

Therefore, DIY intake guard with cleaning union, accepts an Aquaclear 110 sponge.

Edited January 14, 2021 by AdamTill