Foams and Biohome Ultimate: www.filterpro.co.uk (FilterPro site has links to suppliers in other countries) No link to this filter - DAAAAMN!.....Don't buy it, it's awful..... A proper canister filter: geni.us/P7ZC4 Thanks for watching, liking and sharing. A full cycle is completed by bacteria - the aerobic part of biological filtration which processes ammonia to nitrite and nitrite to nitrate followed by an anaerobic part which processes nitrate into soluble nitrogen which bubbles off to the atmosphere. Therefore it requires a suitable amount of excellent quality filter media to be able to provide the environment for both aerobic AND anaerobic bacteria - that is what Biohome ultimate does perfectly but even with such good media there are limitations and we recommend the following amounts for different stocking scenarios: (1 US gallon = 3.8 litres) (1kg = 2.2 lbs) Average community tropical aquarium = 1kg per 100 litres Average coldwater aquarium = 1kg - 1.5kg per 100 litres Predator aquarium = 1.5kg - 2kg per 100 litres Large cichlid aquarium = 1.5kg - 2kg per 100 litres Malawi / Tanganyikan aquarium = 1.5kg - 2kg per 100 litres Marine aquarium = 1.5kg - 2kg per 100 litres Average mixed fish pond = 1kg per 200 litres Average koi pond = 1kg per 150 litres You may be disagreeing with the above figures but remember that they are for a FULL CYCLE not half a job - achieving 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite is quite easy since aerobic bacteria grows freely on any surface but the anaerobic bacteria responsible for COMPLETING the cycle needs more a specialized habitat. Size a filter properly, set it up sensibly and you will have perfect water - it's that simple....and your filter won't be the dreaded 'Nitrate factory'. This series of videos is all about trying to squeeze more efficiency out of internal and external aquarium filters which generally have a limited filtering capacity - If you have a filter you'd like me to feature in a video then please contact me on: sales@filterpro.co.uk 07772848730 (Richard) Anyone who sends a filter (UK only at present) will have it upgraded and returned to them for free and the only cost you will pay is how much it costs to ship it to me - I'm helping to boost your filter and the resulting videos will hopefully be useful to viewers all over the world so it's a win/win. The following videos will be useful to anyone interested in learning more about filtration, bacteria and making the conditions for your fish as good as possible: Sizing a canister properly and filter set up: goo.gl/om19un Looking INSIDE different filter media: goo.gl/hZWS6c Bacteria and filter media: goo.gl/123gAF How to clean an aquarium: goo.gl/bPMhvh Aquarium tips / filtration playlist: goo.gl/pXgqVj Check out my channel for hundreds of videos on a wide range of my hobbies - many of the videos have educational content so if you have enjoyed any give them the thumbs up and share. This channel is purely a hobby for me so I will never ask viewers to donate money for any of my projects or charge anyone for information - information should be shared freely and I certainly don't consider myself an 'expert' in anything I pursue as a hobby so please do your own research, never accept anything as 'fact', reject anyone claiming to be some sort of authority or 'expert' and make your own minds up about anything you wish to study. We all are on a long path of learning......... RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS ON AMAZON: goo.gl/jMaBWy INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/pondguru_outdoors/ FILMING EQUIPMENT: Panasonic HC-VX870 HD camcorder geni.us/3UwE +Rode stereo microphone: geni.us/4OL +Rode 'deadcat' mic cover: geni.us/1pmn JVC Everio quad proof HD camcorder: geni.us/e09e +Rode 'deadcat' mic cover (opened up and held between tripod and camera base) geni.us/dee24 Zomei Z666 tripod: geni.us/1a1af3 Manfrotto MTPIXI-B PIXI mini tripod: geni.us/87f7 If you've enjoyed this video please check out the playlists on my channel for hundreds more - on a variety of subjects. Feel free to share or link any of my videos on facebook, twitter, forums etc. for the benefit of anyone you think may also enjoy watching. See you next time. Pondguru
I have just purchase a kockey koi 6000 multi chamber filter and it has come with no foam or media. Does anyone have any recommendations or tips on what to put in it. And can you send in small pond filters as well or are they to big. Thanks lee
Hmmm.... wonder if its possible to extend the height of the bottom tray somehow to make use of that wasted space (things like that really gets to me too), or maybe put some mesh bags with media in the bottom... Btw -I absolutely love the pimp my filter series :-)
They're valid points, lol With regard to adding pads on top of the top tray it could be done, yes - although the ridiculous plastic tube thing would make it difficult to attain a proper seal and when the pump head (and fitted plastic tube) is removed the top section would be filled with dirty water which would rush down into the bottom of the filter and into the filter media. The ideas I throw out are simply ideas and can be copied, modified or ignored as the viewer sees fit - after all there are numerous ways to achieve the same goal and nobody is an expert in anything (myself included). The idea behind this video series is to make videos about specific filters for anyone interested in that specific filter and build up a large database of information, not to make videos for the clicks and likes to grow my channel or earn money from UA-cam / Google. By the very nature of the videos in the series they are repetitive and even different brands are sometimes set up exactly the same so I don't expect or wish any subscribers to watch every, most or even some of the videos unless they are looking for specific information about their filter or a filter they're interested in buying. That's a stark contrast to most channels who shove out an endless stream of vlog type videos or 'super chat' enabled live streams with no specific useful information to exploit viewers so I'm more than happy to go down this route even if the videos get low amount of views or are derided by some viewers - I know when I'm looking for information online the last thing I want to be directed to is another useless 'unboxing' or fish room 'update' video. I want the facts about certain products but finding good videos like that is becoming increasingly difficult.
I gave my dad a new boyu canister filter for his 100 litre tank, but it was the older standard design where there is little wasted space. It works very well for a small filter and it is now pimped with a whole tray of biohome ultimate.
As always, super job! Love these tutorials! The bad is that I cannot have access to some good filters you review as they are not available in the USA...
Pondguru Every review helps a lot, though! I liked the skinner review, it helped me get a similar one, I can’t wait to replace my media with Biohome!!!
From were I am, The Boyu and The Sun Sun Canisters are the cheapest and the cheapest made. But some people swear by them. I don't know why though. The plastic is brittle, power consumption is high, the hose is hard to install.
Another point that I see is with a planted tank there is just no flow using the 5X rule. The other thing is can you get spare parts for this. The best thing Adam can do is when he gets the filter back is to salvage the Biohome Ultimate and put in a new filter.
I can't for the life of me understand their thinking not putting a third tray in that canister filter Richard. Especially with the space that they have there. Maybe a few net bags of media below the trays might have been possible
6 to 8 weeks or longer? Hhmm,,,does the presence of the mulm help to establish a robust bacteria colony that might be much smaller in a meticulously clean system? Is that what you meant by "pampering"? And what about a planted tank? Would longer periods between cleanings hep to provide nutrients for the plants?
Love your videos I don’t suppose you have ever done a episode on pimp my filter on a terra fx 200 turtle filter I’m running it on a 15l fish tank that I have set up for a betta
I haven't seen one of them before but it does look like a decent filter from what I can find online. Seems similar to the Dennerle filter I did a few videos back in the series.
The huge plastic tube is such an awful shape to cut foams around for a good seal and as soon as it was removed with the pump head muck would just flood down into lower sections.
I'm honestly a fan of SunSun canister filters (All Pond Solutions I believe would be the brand in the UK). Are there better made canisters? Absolutely. But do they work? Again, absolutely. On 100 gallon or larger tanks, I'd probably opt for something like a Fluval FX4/6. 75 gallons and smaller SunSun is perfect.
Proud owner of biohome ultimate here. Still undergoing cycle, but it really is great stuff. Could you maybe do a pimp my filter on the aqueon quiet flow for up to 55 gallons. Also, have you ever designed your own filter? You'd probably have the best on the market with the knowledge you have.
I'll feature any filter people send me and have a couple of HOB filter videos to edit down but they are very small filters. I prefer just to sell the stuff for people to properly set up existing filters but I do sometimes get moments where I literally have visions of fully realized filters and sketch the design down. I recently had one that I drew out and it was basically a version of the FX6 filter altered to hold twice as much media which would increase the filtering capacity greatly. I'll make a few more drawings then give it to Fluval as I'm happy to give all ideas away since it is for the benefit of fish / fish keepers.
@pondguru is there any chemical I can add to accelerate the nitrogen cycle? I remember from one of the videos u mentioned to stay away from chemicals and just use anti chlorine to start up tanks. But I don’t have that much time cos my fish has to come in earlier than expected. Any advise?
Adding stuff like safestart or prime is a fake way of starting a tank as it prevents proper development of the bacteria but adding a source of liquid carbon can make a real difference to how quickly the full cycle completes. Recently we've had loads of emails from people who have achieved full cycle in only a month compared to the normal 4-6 months with the first part (0 ammonia, 0 nitrite) completing in 1-2 weeks instead of the normal 2-3 weeks for good quality media. Plastic will still take a good 6 months to mature with bacteria and crappy ceramic rings will still take a month or more for the first part of the cycle but with good porous media the liquid carbon makes a real difference. A good source of liquid carbon and other trace elements which help bacteria is Flourish Excel plant food: geni.us/05BK
That is way higher than the UK 'safe' limit of nitrate in tap water which I think is 50ppm but if you have a suitably sized filter with lots of media capable of supporting enough bacteria (e.g. biohome ultimate) it could reduce that as long as you didn't do large regular water changes. The filter would need to be way oversized though...
Yes it will be fine - plants do not have negative effects when they are in a fully cycled tank and the biohome will not draw in or affect any additives you use for the plants.
Hi pond guru, I’ve recently picked up the EF-35. It is obviously slightly larger and has 3 media trays the same size as this one. How/what would you recommend for the 3rd (extra) media tray? I also think this one should come with three trays from what I can see online.
Not sure if it would fit or work but could you not buy an additional media tray from the manufacturer to fill that wasted space. Does seem criminal to design it as it is.
Great review do u have US suppliers where I can order some bio home media it's so many fake companies ot here claiming to sell the real deal. I'm in philly pa
thank you for the review of some canister filters. maybe you can review another canister filter like RIO UC-4000UV? What is the best media setting using this filter. thank you
I own this sun sun canister. It's good but the treys are weak and details stuck. The part the brakes is the handle. If you get the uv version the uv destroys the abs baskets... Good filter tho us works great and hold lost of media. Hmm... this one is a little different... Reverses the flow.
gabrielgalaxygh It seems like most people do even fish store owners and maintenance people... Eather way it's not hard to make UV resistance plastic they could have even lined the UV chamber with a very thin cheap Stainless or Aluminum shroud... Their is no excuse for poor engineering!
Hi.nice video.im from mauritius.there is no bio worm there.what can i put in my canister filter to have great filtration.i have course pad.medium pad.and thick pad in the fisrt tray.bioballs in the second tray.and ceramic ring in third tray.my canister is a resun Ef-1200u with uv light integrated
Apart from the extra tray they are the same as the FX6 which is really well made - I did a video on the FX6 in this series you may find useful, number 10
hi i have a similar 1 to this but it keeps leaking between pump head and bottom section due to not having a seal can you give me any advice to fix it please i live in South Africa btw im Craig
Do I have to replace Biohome from time to time or can I use it forever? I watched a video about Seachem Matrix and it seems that you would have to replace it if it is clogged
The 'matrix' is a dense form of pumice so just like the Biohome and other porous media it needs to operate in clean water to be effective. We normally advise that the various forms of biohome should stay active at high efficiency for 6-10 years in a well set up filter but if you find that efficiency is reduced (nitrates begin to rise and there is no chemical / additive / treatment reason for that) then it can be put into a hot oven for 45-60 minutes to sterilise it and burn off any organic matter which will give it some more years of life - obviously you'd have to cycle it again after that. I wouldn't advise trying that with volcanic rock like pumice (matrix) or scoria since they contain many sealed-in air bubbles which could explode in the oven - I doubt that would damage the oven but it could make a mess. If you want to see what makes a bad / good / great media check out the video I did called 'Looking INSIDE filter media' as it shows a couple of types of lava rock including a better grade of pumice compared to biohome under a microscope so you can see the internal structure.
Hello, my local aquatics centre suggested using 'activated carbon' in one of the trays for a 300 litre tropical tank, do you agree with this? (other tray will be ceremic bio tubes) and the other tray is set up the same as the foam tray in this video.
You generally don't 'need' carbon in the filter but it won't do any harm.It is generally used to draw in staining in water and any residual fish treatments / heavy metals in the water. If your filter is big enough and you can spare the space for carbon without sacrificing important biological media then having it in a filter is no problem. If filter is borderline for tank then its way more important to have good media and plenty of it than carbon since it is bacteria living on and in media which will keep ammonia and nitrite at 0
Very weird and interesting waste of space..latches and the way the hoses attach would have lead me to believe it was a knock off of a cascade canister filter. The way they attempted to get zero bypass is similar to a point however pennplex did it wo losing the tray space. Looks like a fx3 and cascade 700 had a baby lol. I would still pack the first tray with media and place foams on top in the wasted space.. Im shocked since it is a top down filter you didn’t set it up this way
The huge plastic tube is such an awful shape to cut foams around for a good seal and as soon as it was removed with the pump head muck would just flood down into lower sections. The design is a shambles.
There's a perfectly good reason why almost every filter is designed to be inefficient. So they can sell more media, filter pads, etc, not to mention meds and such, when your system starts to crash.. Are all these companies really so inept that they would design such useless filters unless they meant to do exactly that? I completely agree with your assessment of bumps on filter pads, common sense really.
I've had contact with a few companies who are absolutely thinking of after sales replacement cartridges, pads, additives, treatments - most of which are not needed when a filter is set up properly. Their goal should be to concentrate on making the water good for fish then worry about profits but that wouldn't go down well at a shareholders meeting........
Miranda Patterson You know I was thinking why he didn't put any in the bottom and I think it's because the water output tube has to go all the bottom to pump out the water.
It depends on what you're keeping in there - could be anything from a pressure filter (e.g. 16000 Filtoclear) for a 'normal' pond to a large multi-bay filter if you have koi. Feel free to ring any time on 07772848730 Regards, Richard
People saying it's the same thing each time, I for one love these, (this series not this filter) I'm always buying filters for my fish room and it's handy to have an opinion from an expert who is impartial , as most people doing reviews either want to sell you a filter or its new hobbyists who haven't a clue.
Yes the videos will ultimately be very similar but I'm not making them for clicks and likes - purely to help people with specific (or similar) models of filters. Even just knowing how the water flows through the filter makes a hell of a difference to someone wanting to maximise how it can be made to be more effective. Yes, there are so many really unhelpful 'unboxing' videos or videos showing them set up either exactly as the manufacturer sends them out or show them 'upgraded' with the internals set up all wrong so I like to try and balance that nonsense out with something useful.
I have this one with the UV light and paid $145 AUD it’s awful and has hardly any power. I have a built in lid filter on my 200L tank but had put this as an extra boost to the cleaning. But the joke is it doesn’t really do a good clean. I will certainly be adding the extra Coarse, Medium and Fine media and had to order the bumpy on from the UK as we don’t have anything here like that so that’s another $65 l just outlaid but hopefully it does the trick. Thank you for your video, my regret is not having seen it sooner. 🌹🙏🏼
Arrrgghhhh....I'm bummed out that you've bought this filter as it is truly awful compared to other available options but at least now you can do something to make it work to some degree, lol
Cleantech canister filter x2100 plz plz do a review as I gave one and I’m starting to think it’s a filter I wasted money on. The flow rate is horrible and the tank is still taking time to get rid off the bloom out of a 450 Ltr but I say 400 Ltr with gravel n ricks I put in. I am also using bio home Medea and the way you normally setup a tank. It took 4 kg or touch over of bio home but I am not convinced it’s a good filter. Love to hear your thoughts.
That is probably one of the tougher types of seaweed so wouldn't be my first choice but as far as I know all seaweed found around the British Isles is edible (for humans) with bladderwrack being one of the least edible types.
hi I am going to mix seaweed in with my home made fish food what seaweed can they eat with I have bladderwrack can they eat the or will it make the fish sick
I'd personally think it was a bit too tough for fish food - it may be best to go for some of the seaweed which was much softer and grows like lettuce. Bladderwrack tends to be used for shower gels and natural cleaning products and I've never heard of it being used as food for anything.
I've done a few replies to previous comments about that - the plastic tube mess in the top makes having foams in the top part difficult and when cleaning the top needs to be lifted off which would allow much of the muck in the top section to flood down the large hole into the media trays if foams were in the void.
They are light therapy glasses for deep relaxation. The system I have is the Kasina mind machine and I got the 'deep vision' glasses as an extra. geni.us/eBL9O There are pre-set programs or you can have it sequencing to your own music - just don't use anything with too many beats or the effect is too intense - I lost the best part of a day the first time I tried it as I felt like I was half in and half out of reality for hours after using it and experiencing all the geometric shapes and relaxation / stimulation. Best stick to really slow, relaxing music for deepest relaxation...I used a 1 hour mix of psychedelic trance first time I used it, lol The ultimate goal is to get an isolation (flotation) tank and put it in the smaller cabin by the big pond where I have the sauna but they are crazy prices.
Pondguru cool I'll have a look into them I could use them. Who need a flotation tank get one of the big black tanks you put in the ground for sewerage (unused obviously lol)
Pondguru there's the bad boy for you lol www.tanks-direct.co.uk/water-tanks/cold-water-loft-tanks/low-level-coffin-tanks/50-gallon-227-litre-cold-water-loft-tank-462419.html
Get a pre filter to hook up before the canister. That way you'll only need to open the small pre filter. Plus since its pure mechanical filtration it will take a lot longer to muck up and you won't need to open your main canister. (ever)
Mr.Pondguru,I do have one strong opinion. Filter Floss is still worlds better then sponge or sheet matting. I dont think you've done an episode starring it. As an old timer back in the hobby my favorite fish store said "We stopped selling it years ago" Well,I had him order some for me..and before I even got back to the store- he sold out!..People know,that for pre filtering? Floss beats hands down sponges an sheets,even if it doesn't look pretty or high tech! btw- My tank is so much better with floss then the sponges and sheet poly I started with.
Yes if you are OK with checking and replacing floss every few days then it's a good mechanical media since waste will be removed from the filter very early. The fine white pads I use in the videos are basically a more compressed form of filter floss.
Once a week or so I make a water change..and wash the floss out in one part of my two part home made filter. The other has that sheet poly and it is not nearly as effective at filtering. No need to toss out any floss..it over time does wear..I just add more. It has surface area galore..talk about sponge's egg carton surface area and its not close to floss. It does act also as bacteria media. Like 10 gallons of bio balls in two (or four in my case)big handfuls of floss. All over tube I see people skip Floss. A mistake. IMO.
magzire thats not a bad thing. If you leave lots of mush in your filter then your nitrates will go high...then when you do clean it all out the bacteria colony can crash as you remove a large food source in one go....just my theory.
Just get a little pre-filter for before the main canister (they're pure mechanical filtration). You'll never have to open your main canister this way and you can fill it completely with bio-media.
These are very similar to the All Pond Solutions filters, I'm using a EF2+ (1400l/h UV) and can say that they are a waaay better design than this piece of junk :)
It's funny that you mentioned the EF-25 as being junk as I filmed a filter yesterday which I got twice as worked up about as it has so many design flaws...and it is German - I just hope nobody gets fired when I release that video.
@@pondguru The Sunsun filters are absolutely excellent filters...I have two 304 filters on my 150g tank and have 2 trays in each full of biohome ultimate..1 tray in each has the pads and 1 tray in each has Seachem Matrix... my tank has no issues and crystal clear water.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Foams and Biohome Ultimate: www.filterpro.co.uk
(FilterPro site has links to suppliers in other countries)
No link to this filter - DAAAAMN!.....Don't buy it, it's awful.....
A proper canister filter: geni.us/P7ZC4
Thanks for watching, liking and sharing.
A full cycle is completed by bacteria - the aerobic part of biological filtration which processes ammonia to nitrite and nitrite to nitrate followed by an anaerobic part which processes nitrate into soluble nitrogen which bubbles off to the atmosphere.
Therefore it requires a suitable amount of excellent quality filter media to be able to provide the environment for both aerobic AND anaerobic bacteria - that is what Biohome ultimate does perfectly but even with such good media there are limitations and we recommend the following amounts for different stocking scenarios:
(1 US gallon = 3.8 litres)
(1kg = 2.2 lbs)
Average community tropical aquarium = 1kg per 100 litres
Average coldwater aquarium = 1kg - 1.5kg per 100 litres
Predator aquarium = 1.5kg - 2kg per 100 litres
Large cichlid aquarium = 1.5kg - 2kg per 100 litres
Malawi / Tanganyikan aquarium = 1.5kg - 2kg per 100 litres
Marine aquarium = 1.5kg - 2kg per 100 litres
Average mixed fish pond = 1kg per 200 litres
Average koi pond = 1kg per 150 litres
You may be disagreeing with the above figures but remember that they are for a FULL CYCLE not half a job - achieving 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite is quite easy since aerobic bacteria grows freely on any surface but the anaerobic bacteria responsible for COMPLETING the cycle needs more a specialized habitat.
Size a filter properly, set it up sensibly and you will have perfect water - it's that simple....and your filter won't be the dreaded 'Nitrate factory'.
This series of videos is all about trying to squeeze more efficiency out of internal and external aquarium filters which generally have a limited filtering capacity - If you have a filter you'd like me to feature in a video then please contact me on:
sales@filterpro.co.uk
07772848730 (Richard)
Anyone who sends a filter (UK only at present) will have it upgraded and returned to them for free and the only cost you will pay is how much it costs to ship it to me - I'm helping to boost your filter and the resulting videos will hopefully be useful to viewers all over the world so it's a win/win.
The following videos will be useful to anyone interested in learning more about filtration, bacteria and making the conditions for your fish as good as possible:
Sizing a canister properly and filter set up: goo.gl/om19un
Looking INSIDE different filter media: goo.gl/hZWS6c
Bacteria and filter media: goo.gl/123gAF
How to clean an aquarium: goo.gl/bPMhvh
Aquarium tips / filtration playlist: goo.gl/pXgqVj
Check out my channel for hundreds of videos on a wide range of my hobbies - many of the videos have educational content so if you have enjoyed any give them the thumbs up and share.
This channel is purely a hobby for me so I will never ask viewers to donate money for any of my projects or charge anyone for information - information should be shared freely and I certainly don't consider myself an 'expert' in anything I pursue as a hobby so please do your own research, never accept anything as 'fact', reject anyone claiming to be some sort of authority or 'expert' and make your own minds up about anything you wish to study.
We all are on a long path of learning.........
RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS ON AMAZON: goo.gl/jMaBWy
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/pondguru_outdoors/
FILMING EQUIPMENT:
Panasonic HC-VX870 HD camcorder geni.us/3UwE
+Rode stereo microphone: geni.us/4OL
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JVC Everio quad proof HD camcorder: geni.us/e09e
+Rode 'deadcat' mic cover (opened up and held between tripod and camera base) geni.us/dee24
Zomei Z666 tripod: geni.us/1a1af3
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If you've enjoyed this video please check out the playlists on my channel for hundreds more - on a variety of subjects.
Feel free to share or link any of my videos on facebook, twitter, forums etc. for the benefit of anyone you think may also enjoy watching.
See you next time.
Pondguru
What if you stacked the biohome and then topped it off with biogravel? Think you could get 2 kilos in that tray?
Would need to make another tray.
I have just purchase a kockey koi 6000 multi chamber filter and it has come with no foam or media. Does anyone have any recommendations or tips on what to put in it. And can you send in small pond filters as well or are they to big.
Thanks lee
Hmmm.... wonder if its possible to extend the height of the bottom tray somehow to make use of that wasted space (things like that really gets to me too), or maybe put some mesh bags with media in the bottom... Btw -I absolutely love the pimp my filter series :-)
Looking on the internet at the flow design....you could fill 2 baskets with bio media and sit the pads on top in the empty cavity
Thats what I would have done as well
thats exactly wat iv done n its working perfectly so far
esotericman22 the true xzibit of the filter world!
Indeed!
I was surprised, bcs it was so obvious.
They're valid points, lol
With regard to adding pads on top of the top tray it could be done, yes - although the ridiculous plastic tube thing would make it difficult to attain a proper seal and when the pump head (and fitted plastic tube) is removed the top section would be filled with dirty water which would rush down into the bottom of the filter and into the filter media.
The ideas I throw out are simply ideas and can be copied, modified or ignored as the viewer sees fit - after all there are numerous ways to achieve the same goal and nobody is an expert in anything (myself included).
The idea behind this video series is to make videos about specific filters for anyone interested in that specific filter and build up a large database of information, not to make videos for the clicks and likes to grow my channel or earn money from UA-cam / Google.
By the very nature of the videos in the series they are repetitive and even different brands are sometimes set up exactly the same so I don't expect or wish any subscribers to watch every, most or even some of the videos unless they are looking for specific information about their filter or a filter they're interested in buying.
That's a stark contrast to most channels who shove out an endless stream of vlog type videos or 'super chat' enabled live streams with no specific useful information to exploit viewers so I'm more than happy to go down this route even if the videos get low amount of views or are derided by some viewers - I know when I'm looking for information online the last thing I want to be directed to is another useless 'unboxing' or fish room 'update' video. I want the facts about certain products but finding good videos like that is becoming increasingly difficult.
I have the EF20 it has 4 small trays, not had any problems with it at all, running it on a smaller tank of course.
I gave my dad a new boyu canister filter for his 100 litre tank, but it was the older standard design where there is little wasted space. It works very well for a small filter and it is now pimped with a whole tray of biohome ultimate.
Sounds good, this version is a travesty, lol
As always, super job! Love these tutorials! The bad is that I cannot have access to some good filters you review as they are not available in the USA...
I have a few more from Fluval coming up and in time I hope to cover many more types.
Pondguru Every review helps a lot, though! I liked the skinner review, it helped me get a similar one, I can’t wait to replace my media with Biohome!!!
Sounds good to me - US distributor is www.greatwaveeng.com and there are other sellers on ebay and amazon.com
From were I am, The Boyu and The Sun Sun Canisters are the cheapest and the cheapest made. But some people swear by them. I don't know why though. The plastic is brittle, power consumption is high, the hose is hard to install.
Another point that I see is with a planted tank there is just no flow using the 5X rule. The other thing is can you get spare parts for this. The best thing Adam can do is when he gets the filter back is to salvage the Biohome Ultimate and put in a new filter.
I can't for the life of me understand their thinking not putting a third tray in that canister filter Richard. Especially with the space that they have there. Maybe a few net bags of media below the trays might have been possible
6 to 8 weeks or longer? Hhmm,,,does the presence of the mulm help to establish a robust bacteria colony that might be much smaller in a meticulously clean system? Is that what you meant by "pampering"?
And what about a planted tank? Would longer periods between cleanings hep to provide nutrients for the plants?
Love your videos I don’t suppose you have ever done a episode on pimp my filter on a terra fx 200 turtle filter I’m running it on a 15l fish tank that I have set up for a betta
I haven't seen one of them before but it does look like a decent filter from what I can find online. Seems similar to the Dennerle filter I did a few videos back in the series.
Why didn't you cut foams to fill that wasted space. Then use both trays for media.
The huge plastic tube is such an awful shape to cut foams around for a good seal and as soon as it was removed with the pump head muck would just flood down into lower sections.
I'm honestly a fan of SunSun canister filters (All Pond Solutions I believe would be the brand in the UK). Are there better made canisters? Absolutely. But do they work? Again, absolutely. On 100 gallon or larger tanks, I'd probably opt for something like a Fluval FX4/6. 75 gallons and smaller SunSun is perfect.
I wonder if you could buy a spare bottom tray ?
Proud owner of biohome ultimate here. Still undergoing cycle, but it really is great stuff. Could you maybe do a pimp my filter on the aqueon quiet flow for up to 55 gallons.
Also, have you ever designed your own filter? You'd probably have the best on the market with the knowledge you have.
I'll feature any filter people send me and have a couple of HOB filter videos to edit down but they are very small filters.
I prefer just to sell the stuff for people to properly set up existing filters but I do sometimes get moments where I literally have visions of fully realized filters and sketch the design down. I recently had one that I drew out and it was basically a version of the FX6 filter altered to hold twice as much media which would increase the filtering capacity greatly. I'll make a few more drawings then give it to Fluval as I'm happy to give all ideas away since it is for the benefit of fish / fish keepers.
Hi, can you please do a video for Boyu FEF - 280A? I got one and I think it doesn't work like the sunsun filters. not sure how to set it up.
I'll feature any filter which people send to me, no worries.
@pondguru is there any chemical I can add to accelerate the nitrogen cycle? I remember from one of the videos u mentioned to stay away from chemicals and just use anti chlorine to start up tanks. But I don’t have that much time cos my fish has to come in earlier than expected. Any advise?
Adding stuff like safestart or prime is a fake way of starting a tank as it prevents proper development of the bacteria but adding a source of liquid carbon can make a real difference to how quickly the full cycle completes. Recently we've had loads of emails from people who have achieved full cycle in only a month compared to the normal 4-6 months with the first part (0 ammonia, 0 nitrite) completing in 1-2 weeks instead of the normal 2-3 weeks for good quality media. Plastic will still take a good 6 months to mature with bacteria and crappy ceramic rings will still take a month or more for the first part of the cycle but with good porous media the liquid carbon makes a real difference.
A good source of liquid carbon and other trace elements which help bacteria is Flourish Excel plant food: geni.us/05BK
any chance of doing an aquamanta efx 200 please
Hi , i need to know Does “Biohome ultimate” reduce nitrates if you have 80-160ppm nitrates in tap water? My tap water nitrates are very high
That is way higher than the UK 'safe' limit of nitrate in tap water which I think is 50ppm but if you have a suitably sized filter with lots of media capable of supporting enough bacteria (e.g. biohome ultimate) it could reduce that as long as you didn't do large regular water changes. The filter would need to be way oversized though...
if i want a planted tank , is biohome ultimate a correct choise ? isnt the nitrate going to be to low for my plants .
Yes it will be fine - plants do not have negative effects when they are in a fully cycled tank and the biohome will not draw in or affect any additives you use for the plants.
Hi pond guru, I’ve recently picked up the EF-35. It is obviously slightly larger and has 3 media trays the same size as this one. How/what would you recommend for the 3rd (extra) media tray? I also think this one should come with three trays from what I can see online.
try the ef 35=3 trays works perfect 4 over 12 months now ..best £65 pound iv spent
my dophin 3388 have bypass through bottom and coming up by canister wall and ruin my up most bio media...its configure bottom up...help...
it tray design smaller than canister...
Not sure if it would fit or work but could you not buy an additional media tray from the manufacturer to fill that wasted space. Does seem criminal to design it as it is.
That is a possibility although I'd be very reluctant to give this manufacturer any more money, lol
Great review do u have US suppliers where I can order some bio home media it's so many fake companies ot here claiming to sell the real deal. I'm in philly pa
COOPER'S CICHILDS Greatwave Engineering are US distributors...SAN Jose CA
mtourgus thank you
thank you for the review of some canister filters. maybe you can review another canister filter like RIO UC-4000UV?
What is the best media setting using this filter. thank you
Generally the biohome ultimate is the best choice for a canister filter and I'll feature any type of filter anyone wants to send to me no worries.
Was there any space under the bottom tray for more media?
Not that I can remember but I lost the will to live by the time I got that far, lol
I own this sun sun canister. It's good but the treys are weak and details stuck. The part the brakes is the handle. If you get the uv version the uv destroys the abs baskets... Good filter tho us works great and hold lost of media. Hmm... this one is a little different... Reverses the flow.
Adam949 your not supoose to leave the uv on all the time
gabrielgalaxygh It seems like most people do even fish store owners and maintenance people... Eather way it's not hard to make UV resistance plastic they could have even lined the UV chamber with a very thin cheap Stainless or Aluminum shroud... Their is no excuse for poor engineering!
Could have use the 2nd tray alao for bio n put the foam pads on top of that
That could have worked, yes.
Hi.nice video.im from mauritius.there is no bio worm there.what can i put in my canister filter to have great filtration.i have course pad.medium pad.and thick pad in the fisrt tray.bioballs in the second tray.and ceramic ring in third tray.my canister is a resun Ef-1200u with uv light integrated
As long as you have access to a decent quality ceramic ring media swap out the bioballs and you will increase the effectiveness of your filter.
Pondguru thank you for all your great videos
Love your vid's, would like to see a pimp my filter: Eheim PRO 4. I have a 250 and 350
I find the pimp my filter series very interesting.
What are your thoughts about the Fluval FX 4 filters.
Apart from the extra tray they are the same as the FX6 which is really well made - I did a video on the FX6 in this series you may find useful, number 10
Could you not fill both trays and just sit the foam on top?
hi i have a similar 1 to this but it keeps leaking between pump head and bottom section due to not having a seal can you give me any advice to fix it please i live in South Africa btw im Craig
if you can e-mail me at bulldogcjc77@gmail.com kind regards Craig
Sounds like it just needs another seal - could be an ebay job from China?
Nice video again Richard 👍🏻 , funny noise out your bagpipes 😬 I’m going to suspect you’ll see trolls come out after this video 🤪
Do I have to replace Biohome from time to time or can I use it forever? I watched a video about Seachem Matrix and it seems that you would have to replace it if it is clogged
The 'matrix' is a dense form of pumice so just like the Biohome and other porous media it needs to operate in clean water to be effective. We normally advise that the various forms of biohome should stay active at high efficiency for 6-10 years in a well set up filter but if you find that efficiency is reduced (nitrates begin to rise and there is no chemical / additive / treatment reason for that) then it can be put into a hot oven for 45-60 minutes to sterilise it and burn off any organic matter which will give it some more years of life - obviously you'd have to cycle it again after that.
I wouldn't advise trying that with volcanic rock like pumice (matrix) or scoria since they contain many sealed-in air bubbles which could explode in the oven - I doubt that would damage the oven but it could make a mess.
If you want to see what makes a bad / good / great media check out the video I did called 'Looking INSIDE filter media' as it shows a couple of types of lava rock including a better grade of pumice compared to biohome under a microscope so you can see the internal structure.
Hello, my local aquatics centre suggested using 'activated carbon' in one of the trays for a 300 litre tropical tank, do you agree with this? (other tray will be ceremic bio tubes) and the other tray is set up the same as the foam tray in this video.
You generally don't 'need' carbon in the filter but it won't do any harm.It is generally used to draw in staining in water and any residual fish treatments / heavy metals in the water.
If your filter is big enough and you can spare the space for carbon without sacrificing important biological media then having it in a filter is no problem. If filter is borderline for tank then its way more important to have good media and plenty of it than carbon since it is bacteria living on and in media which will keep ammonia and nitrite at 0
Very weird and interesting waste of space..latches and the way the hoses attach would have lead me to believe it was a knock off of a cascade canister filter. The way they attempted to get zero bypass is similar to a point however pennplex did it wo losing the tray space. Looks like a fx3 and cascade 700 had a baby lol. I would still pack the first tray with media and place foams on top in the wasted space.. Im shocked since it is a top down filter you didn’t set it up this way
The huge plastic tube is such an awful shape to cut foams around for a good seal and as soon as it was removed with the pump head muck would just flood down into lower sections.
The design is a shambles.
I am confused.. I remeber in one of your videos you said keep the filter floss at the bottom and media and on top, why different approach here?
@Horse Malone ohhkk got it. Thanks for clearing the Confusion 👍👍
There's a perfectly good reason why almost every filter is designed to be inefficient. So they can sell more media, filter pads, etc, not to mention meds and such, when your system starts to crash.. Are all these companies really so inept that they would design such useless filters unless they meant to do exactly that? I completely agree with your assessment of bumps on filter pads, common sense really.
I've had contact with a few companies who are absolutely thinking of after sales replacement cartridges, pads, additives, treatments - most of which are not needed when a filter is set up properly.
Their goal should be to concentrate on making the water good for fish then worry about profits but that wouldn't go down well at a shareholders meeting........
Greeting for NZ Richard,
Great video and thanks for sharing.
Why didn't you put Bio Media under the first tray? If they were going after wasted space they have achieved it. Thanks, Richerd
Ruben that's what I was thinking,maybe he couldn't,I'm thinking he would have if it let him
Miranda Patterson You know I was thinking why he didn't put any in the bottom and I think it's because the water output tube has to go all the bottom to pump out the water.
media between the trays i would do it
I love these videos ... Cheers pal
i have 7000 lts pond which filter would be the best.
It depends on what you're keeping in there - could be anything from a pressure filter (e.g. 16000 Filtoclear) for a 'normal' pond to a large multi-bay filter if you have koi.
Feel free to ring any time on 07772848730
Regards,
Richard
People saying it's the same thing each time, I for one love these, (this series not this filter) I'm always buying filters for my fish room and it's handy to have an opinion from an expert who is impartial , as most people doing reviews either want to sell you a filter or its new hobbyists who haven't a clue.
Yes the videos will ultimately be very similar but I'm not making them for clicks and likes - purely to help people with specific (or similar) models of filters. Even just knowing how the water flows through the filter makes a hell of a difference to someone wanting to maximise how it can be made to be more effective.
Yes, there are so many really unhelpful 'unboxing' videos or videos showing them set up either exactly as the manufacturer sends them out or show them 'upgraded' with the internals set up all wrong so I like to try and balance that nonsense out with something useful.
I have this one with the UV light and paid $145 AUD it’s awful and has hardly any power. I have a built in lid filter on my 200L tank but had put this as an extra boost to the cleaning. But the joke is it doesn’t really do a good clean. I will certainly be adding the extra Coarse, Medium and Fine media and had to order the bumpy on from the UK as we don’t have anything here like that so that’s another $65 l just outlaid but hopefully it does the trick. Thank you for your video, my regret is not having seen it sooner. 🌹🙏🏼
Arrrgghhhh....I'm bummed out that you've bought this filter as it is truly awful compared to other available options but at least now you can do something to make it work to some degree, lol
Are filter pads good for sumps ?
Yes a graded foam then fine pad will do a great job but in recent times people have generally moved away from that in favor of filter socks
Could you buy an extra tray and fit it?
That is a possibility although I'd be very reluctant to give this manufacturer any more money, lol
Experts around here, what media would you recommend for a couple red eared sliders with this kind of filter?
Thanks for great video Richard, I think I counted about 12 “wasted spaces” So I got the message! keep up the good work.
Cleantech canister filter x2100 plz plz do a review as I gave one and I’m starting to think it’s a filter I wasted money on. The flow rate is horrible and the tank is still taking time to get rid off the bloom out of a 450 Ltr but I say 400 Ltr with gravel n ricks I put in. I am also using bio home Medea and the way you normally setup a tank. It took 4 kg or touch over of bio home but I am not convinced it’s a good filter. Love to hear your thoughts.
can you improve it more, my tank is 80 litres so should be ok. I picked this filter up today second hand I paid R1000
I would buy a prefilter, or buy a new filter.
Hey man, what's the biggest canister filter available on the market today?
hi can goldfish eat bladderwrack seaweed thanks
That is probably one of the tougher types of seaweed so wouldn't be my first choice but as far as I know all seaweed found around the British Isles is edible (for humans) with bladderwrack being one of the least edible types.
hi I am going to mix seaweed in with my home made fish food what seaweed can they eat with I have bladderwrack can they eat the or will it make the fish sick
I'd personally think it was a bit too tough for fish food - it may be best to go for some of the seaweed which was much softer and grows like lettuce. Bladderwrack tends to be used for shower gels and natural cleaning products and I've never heard of it being used as food for anything.
When are they going to learn that you know what you are talking about
You should've put the foam pads in the "wasted space" area and put another 1.5kg of media in the second tray.....
I've done a few replies to previous comments about that - the plastic tube mess in the top makes having foams in the top part difficult and when cleaning the top needs to be lifted off which would allow much of the muck in the top section to flood down the large hole into the media trays if foams were in the void.
Can you talk about hamburg mattenfilters.
It is something I will get round to at some point as they can be quite effective.
So why isn’t this a good filter?
I'm not too sure. I think I caught something about wasted space? Not sure if he mentioned it.
@@bicolouredprawn "Not sure if he mentioned it."
Is that sarcasm?
What are the glasses used for mate
They are light therapy glasses for deep relaxation. The system I have is the Kasina mind machine and I got the 'deep vision' glasses as an extra. geni.us/eBL9O
There are pre-set programs or you can have it sequencing to your own music - just don't use anything with too many beats or the effect is too intense - I lost the best part of a day the first time I tried it as I felt like I was half in and half out of reality for hours after using it and experiencing all the geometric shapes and relaxation / stimulation. Best stick to really slow, relaxing music for deepest relaxation...I used a 1 hour mix of psychedelic trance first time I used it, lol
The ultimate goal is to get an isolation (flotation) tank and put it in the smaller cabin by the big pond where I have the sauna but they are crazy prices.
Pondguru cool I'll have a look into them I could use them. Who need a flotation tank get one of the big black tanks you put in the ground for sewerage (unused obviously lol)
A used sewage tank would certainly cause some decent visions if you were lying in that, lol
Pondguru hahahaha
Pondguru there's the bad boy for you lol
www.tanks-direct.co.uk/water-tanks/cold-water-loft-tanks/low-level-coffin-tanks/50-gallon-227-litre-cold-water-loft-tank-462419.html
I look at my filter weekly.. You can't play this game of letting go with discus.
Get a pre filter to hook up before the canister. That way you'll only need to open the small pre filter. Plus since its pure mechanical filtration it will take a lot longer to muck up and you won't need to open your main canister. (ever)
I totally agree about the Eheim Filter. They are junk compared to the old Eheim Pro Filters.
Mr.Pondguru,I do have one strong opinion. Filter Floss is still worlds better then sponge or sheet matting. I dont think you've done an episode starring it. As an old timer back in the hobby my favorite fish store said "We stopped selling it years ago" Well,I had him order some for me..and before I even got back to the store- he sold out!..People know,that for pre filtering? Floss beats hands down sponges an sheets,even if it doesn't look pretty or high tech!
btw- My tank is so much better with floss then the sponges and sheet poly I started with.
Yes if you are OK with checking and replacing floss every few days then it's a good mechanical media since waste will be removed from the filter very early. The fine white pads I use in the videos are basically a more compressed form of filter floss.
Once a week or so I make a water change..and wash the floss out in one part of my two part home made filter. The other has that sheet poly and it is not nearly as effective at filtering. No need to toss out any floss..it over time does wear..I just add more. It has surface area galore..talk about sponge's egg carton surface area and its not close to floss. It does act also as bacteria media. Like 10 gallons of bio balls in two (or four in my case)big handfuls of floss.
All over tube I see people skip Floss. A mistake. IMO.
I would fill the wasted space with some netbags of Eheim Mech pro
It would help, yes.
Hi from malaysia
Well my names Adam and I keep fish
damn i've been cleaning my canister every 2 weeks
magzire thats not a bad thing. If you leave lots of mush in your filter then your nitrates will go high...then when you do clean it all out the bacteria colony can crash as you remove a large food source in one go....just my theory.
Just get a little pre-filter for before the main canister (they're pure mechanical filtration). You'll never have to open your main canister this way and you can fill it completely with bio-media.
Both people who commented here are giving sensible ideas - groovy.
Thing is HUGE!
Huge, and largely a waste of space and money....
That goku scream though.
Yeah you would think it would hold more bio media, such a waste. Well at least people know now to dodge it 👍
They're £70 for all who want to know.
Hmmmm....popular name with fishkeepers...
Adam Thomas 😂😂
I'll stick with my old, German built Ehiems.
For sure, the Pro2 series seemed to have the best build quality.
These are very similar to the All Pond Solutions filters, I'm using a EF2+ (1400l/h UV) and can say that they are a waaay better design than this piece of junk :)
It's funny that you mentioned the EF-25 as being junk as I filmed a filter yesterday which I got twice as worked up about as it has so many design flaws...and it is German - I just hope nobody gets fired when I release that video.
Pondguru looking forward to that one 👍
The universe might be trying to tell you it's finally time to build A Dam .... Get it ? Weak joke, I know...
Midget digit rotfl! 😂
I am just here for accent: waistin space
Looks like this filter is only good for a 10g tank haha
shout quietly, it is and remains a waste of space with this filter ... :o) - weird filter construction :o(
What a waste of space 🙈
There’s a lesson the be learnt here don’t by cheep Chinese crap just my opinion 😘😘
I hear you and second that opinion...
@@pondguru The Sunsun filters are absolutely excellent filters...I have two 304 filters on my 150g tank and have 2 trays in each full of biohome ultimate..1 tray in each has the pads and 1 tray in each has Seachem Matrix... my tank has no issues and crystal clear water.
Sounds good to me and I'm glad you're pleased with the media, filters and set up.
OK that filter makes no sense 😂