PIMP your HOB

D-tank needed an HOB with a very large brim gap .. only thing that seems to work was the top-aqua one .. thing is as a slim HOB one tends to forget that you can still pimp it.

Got some new filter media from AE https://www.facebook.com/aquaempire....1516448601./1602317593193092/?type=3&theater



Made a grid to prevent the balls getting in the mechanics.




Used about 1/2 a packet of the media



think this will work just fine.



Later Ferdie

 

Any feedback on the new media so far? I have a bunch on bioballs in canister filter, which i think is not the best, and would love to replace them with some ceramic rings, but wondering if this might not be better. Planning on adding the remaining media to my HOB's, but at R180 for 1L it seems a bit pricey?

 

only been a day and it is still in the HOB. What I can say the tank has a better nose .... now if that is the media or the aeration - no clue. Hard to find more info on the media - no reviews etc. What I do like about it is the size of the balls. under 1 cm. My first choice is still JBL Micromec https://www.tropicalaquarium.co.za/threads/pimp-your-hob.6952/ is still going strong - as is the HOB not bad for almost 7 years.

After the JBL - that does not seem to be available here yet. I like and use Eheim substratpro you might be able to get some locally but have not seen any, other than in canisters. 3'rd is it matrix and that is purely the shape problem.

Agree bio balls are a waist in most canisters, maybe look at matrix since shape is not an issue in a canister basket.

Later Ferdie

 

Clean forgot to post the update on the DIY for keeping the balls free. Went with a full length cage - stopped the balls from moving the draw pipe and get jammed.



Later Ferdie

 

I use the same mesh in my Cascade filters, separating the impeller portion of the filter from the media chamber.
It works very well, and has cut down on maintenance, as the Matrix can't get near the impeller.

 

100% .. that mesh is actually a must have item for DIY'ers

Matrix in the HOB is also a good call.

Later Ferdie

 

Is that the same mesh that is being sold at builders warehouse?

 

yes

 

How were you guys able to mould it to the shapes that you wanted?

When examining it I found it to be very soft and flimsy

 

nope this stuff is rather rigid and easy to shape to some degree.



Later Ferdie

 

I looked at it a while back when trying to make a divider for my betta tank and opted for a different material instead. I'll go have a look at this one again but I have come across a really rigid white one that is for sale at MICA. So contemplating trying to make dividers again

 

OK so I am talking about this stuff right



Later Ferdie

 

Yes I have seen that.

Now the one I saw at MICA looks like the top white one. Felt a lot more rigid

 

@f-fish is this a result of bad pre filter? Also I'm going to buy a boyu hob to pimp as a polisher also more filtration.

 

Hmm algae might just be a case of too much light, it is hard to get a good balance .. I am sitting with exactly this issue on D-tank .. light is way to powerful. Water polisher if for very fine stuff in your tank that you want to mechanically remove. This is seldom done with the way we use HOB for actual biological filtration.

Later Ferdie

 

Not too bother with algea although i wish my leaves was cleaner but the debris is working on my last nerve.

I think biologically im sorted. Reason i choose hob is too keep most equipment out of the small tank.

Would it be better to buy small pump and make a diy polisher like you did?

 

The coke bottle polisher works well to create loads of current in a tank and then suck up what it can, but I would not run it over a long period of time, the muck at some point gets passed the batting then back into the tank. The HOB is a more long-term use kinda of solution for polishing.

Here is the test ... if you move the leaves do you get loads of things floating in the tank.. if yes then the DIY is probably what you want to create that extra flow and move things out of the water column in a few hours.

Later Ferdie

 

Yes tank is actually really bad. You just touch the leaf than there's debris.

 

Snail does some of the work

 

Yeah but they are also some of the culprits ..