biocube owners- how do you use filter floss?

[becact]

I have a cheesecloth bag full of carbon in the bottom of chamer two, and currently just have a handful of filter floss directly on top. However, the water flowing in from chamber one seems to punch a hole in the floss or just go through the side. How do you all evenly distribute the floss? Should I switch to filter pads? Use the stock tray that goes on top of chamber 2?

On a related note: how often should I change the carbon?

[no_Wedge]

I use a polyester filter pad on my AP and even melt the edges I don't like the fact the filter floss can get in the tank.

[Rickinferno]

I have mine on the tray in the second chamber and change it every week when I do a water change. It gets pretty dirty so even if a little bit of water goes to the side it still picks up most of the small debris.

[becact]

thanks. I will probably switch to the pads after my bag runs out. Hairs of fiber can be seen swirling around in my tank once in a while...

[MustangCaleb]

i just have my second chamber stuffed full of chaeto, and i occasionally stuff the first chamber with filter pad(for 2-3 days at a time)

[10achik]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14396220#post14396220 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MustangCaleb
i just have my second chamber stuffed full of chaeto, and i occasionally stuff the first chamber with filter pad(for 2-3 days at a time)

Do you keep any kind of light on the Chaeto? I was thinking about doing something like that, but it seems like it would be in the dark all the time and wouldn't get any light and would die, but I don't know a lot about it so i haven't messed with it.


To the OP, right now I'm doing something similar, in the first chamber I have live rock rubble in the very bottom and then the black filter on top of that (I clean it every week in the water I remove when I do a 20% water change). In the second chamber I have more live rock rubble in the bottom and a small bag with carbon on top of that and then I cut filter pads (the phospate remover kind) to the width of the chamber and it stays in place.

When I do the water changes I suck the water out though the chambers to get all the extra "floties" out. I use the filter pads for two weeks, cleaning once in between weeks. So far everything seems to be working smoothly and the water parameters are staying exact. I did want to try and add the Chaeto because I'm hearing good things about it, but I don't know that much and I didn't want to fix what wasn't broken.;)

[MustangCaleb]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14396540#post14396540 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 10achik
Do you keep any kind of light on the Chaeto? I was thinking about doing something like that, but it seems like it would be in the dark all the time and wouldn't get any light and would die, but I don't know a lot about it so i haven't messed with it.

you can get one of these submersible lights for $12 shipped off ebay. run them opposite hours of the display tank. and i was going to run LR rubble in the chambers but was told that will just accumulate detritus. ive been pretty happy with the chaeto so far

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c327/mustangcaleb/underwaterlight.jpg

[MustangCaleb]

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c327/mustangcaleb/yuh018-1.jpg

[10achik]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14402900#post14402900 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MustangCaleb
[B]you can get one of these submersible lights for $12 shipped off ebay. run them opposite hours of the display tank. and i was going to run LR rubble in the chambers but was told that will just accumulate detritus. ive been pretty happy with the chaeto so far


Very cool, So you wouldn't leave it on all the time then, ok. I wasn't sure how that worked. I don't think I have enough room to plug anything else in, I'm already maxing out a power strip and a 6 plug wall socket, lol. I definitely can't fit another timer, maybe I could wire it in with my moon lighting.

On the LR rubble, when I do water changes I suction from the bottom of the chambers, so I assumed that would keep the detritus down.