Going carbonless with a Marineland Penguin 350 filter

[djmeph]

I have a ~130 gallon freshwater tank (72 x 19 x 24) with two Aquaclear 110s and a Penguin 350. My idea is to go carbonless on the tank, and replace carbon with bio-balls on all filters. I have read around here and see a lot of advocation for replacing carbon with bio-balls on the Aquaclear 110. I'm thinking about doing the same on the Penguin 350. Basically taking the carbon sleeves out and filling up both sides with bio-balls instead. I'm not going to get rid of the bio-wheels though. Just wondering if anyone has ever done this and if anyone can foresee any problems with this setup. Also, should I put the bio-balls into some sort of nylon stocking or bio-bag? I'm open to any ideas that would allow me to make better use of this piece of crap Marineland filter without having to change the carbon every month.

 

[joedodge]

ive done it with bio balls and media bags full of bio max beads it seemed to cause alot of bipass and it got plugged up easily the time i tried it

 

[iloveoscars702]

i like using the ceramic rings more(the ones that the ac 110 come with)

 

[hybridtheoryd16]

I have ceramic bio media in all of my emperor 400 filters. They are close to the same as the penguin's you have. I also run ceramic and scrubbies in my magnum canister.

I use etheir cascade brand bio media or aquaclear brand bio max media. What ever is cheaper.

I don't run carbon in any of my 9 tanks.

 

[CatfishLuver]

I wouldn't use bio-balls as they are really meant for wet/dry filters, and if used in a power filter will not be as effective. I would try pot scrubbies, higher surface area and they actuly provide mech. filtration as well as great bio!

 

[djmeph]

By pot scrubies, are you referring to the metal kind? Wouldn't that oxidize?

 

[FSM]

nylon pot scrubbers, they are used instead of bioballs because the surface area is better.

I have just the sponge and biomedia in my AC110.

 

[djmeph]

I know exactly what you're talking about now, that's such a great idea. So you would recommend using them in the AC 110s instead of bio-balls as well? It makes sense. I can see why the bio-balls would be more effective in a wet/dry type of setup.

 

[CatfishLuver]

Yep, what he said. There great cheap and efficient!

 

[djmeph]

Cool, yeah I'm thinking about this in my head, the bio-balls work a lot like the bio-wheel on the penguin in a wet/dry filter because of the aerobic movement of water as it drips from ball to ball. The movement promotes oxygenation of the water passing through, which enables the bacteria to grow better. If you submerge the bio-balls completely, you lose that advantage, so maximizing surface area becomes the more optimal environment for bacteria to grow. If I'm wrong in my thinking on this, please let me know.

Thanks everyone, very much.