HOB's

I'm not familiar with what the penguins look like but in my HOBs I use biomax 50 from aquaclear. They are smaller ceramic rings that can fit in smaller spaces. I then fill the rest of the space with quilt batting. I got a 5lb box of quilt batting for about $12 and I've hardly put a dent in it.

I just rinse the quilt batting out with straight tap water to train the bacteria to live in the bio media. I replace the quilt batting if it gets too nasty or too clumpy after rinsing to put it back in.

Many people use this media and cut it to fit. It works really well for me and lasts through many rinses.
http://www.petsolutions.com/storefr...e-bonded-filter-pad/prodmagnumfilterpads.html

I like having a stash that I can cut to fit any of my filters, whether for HOB or canisters.

Yeah I have been looking for this stuff at all the lfs in the area , no one had it. They had pre cut for certain HOB's but not the bulk type to cut what you want. Hey thanks for the quick response and link. :thumb:

Anybody needing this type filter media in very large quantities like maybe a club might share, look over the stock at Grainger's. They sell wholesale and may add a bit of trouble to buy there but it is certainly cheap. Look for Air Handler brand blue/white bonded media. It is available in a number of sizes and thickness but none in small quantities.

25 inch by 135 FEET is in the $75 range for 1/2 inch thick.

Did You check this out from our library?
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/p ... cks_iv.php

It's a good link but that blue floss goes bad pretty quick. Those trays and air are very good ideas. Maybe I could do this to one of my HOB's but the rest ate smaller 250,150,100.

I have several of the Penguin 350's. I use the media baskets which are $3.76 each from Drsfostersmith.com and fill it with polyfill from Walmart which can be bought in a roll. I cut it to size and put it in the basket. A roll has lasted me at least 2 years now since I just rinse and reuse the polyfiber. I usually replace it about every couple months.
http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/i ... 28542D.jpg

In addition, in front of the media baskets I use foam from Rena
http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/p ... catid=3622
This I also rinse (in used tank water) and have never had to replace.

Your in the same boat as me. Here is what I got today at the LFS and gonna give it a shot. Has a reusable sponge pad that you can just rinse out. I am just gonna toss that filter floss with carbon after it is shot and use quilt batting if the sponge doesnt do enough, but I think I can get away without the batting even.

http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/p ... atid=11352

Well I went to Walmart and couldn't find the roll of poly fill. What section did you find it in. I want to try the baskets and maybe a sponge. I run canisters empty except for floss and pads after the media goes away. So I'm thinking those baskets. Are the way to go with the 350. I have a 200,2x150, and another 100. Those will be most likely sponge .

Flippercon said:

Well I went to Walmart and couldn't find the roll of poly fill. What section did you find it in. I want to try the baskets and maybe a sponge. I run canisters empty except for floss and pads after the media goes away. So I'm thinking those baskets. Are the way to go with the 350. I have a 200,2x150, and another 100. Those will be most likely sponge .

Click to expand...

I found the polyfill in the fabric dept. The bag say "polyfill traditional batting". The Penguin media baskets will fit the 200 and the 350.

Yeah I was looking for more of a sheet type material that I could cut and fold to put in there. Maybe I will give this a shot. I mean I just spent 25.00 on replacement cartridges for half of my filters. So this is really inexpensive compared to the cartridges. I will have to ask the facilities guy ay work to price the air handler stuff from grainger or maybe they have some extra I can snag.

green scotch brite pads work ok

walmart sells a roll of quilt batting for 5 bucks, just gotta look for it

Yeah I have to get some of this batting stuff next time I'm there. On a good note this stuff I got works great. Polishes the water very well. :thumb: I put it in 5 of my HOB's and two of my canisters. Very big difference compared to the blue floss/carbon stuff. I am gonna get some quilt batting next time I go to wally world and compare.

I'm not sure we are talking on the same blue /wht bonded material. Are you talking about the stuff that comes ready made? I will agree that it does not hold up well. When I compare quilt batting to the material in the link I gave, the blue /wht bonded holds up far better. I rinse mine somewhere more than ten times before it begins to get ratty. I find both clean the water pretty much the same.