Loaches Online Forum

Hello guys,

I'm working with the design of my river tank (120x60x40) and I'd like to share an idea about the filtration.

I'm going to instaal the rock river background. Beautiful indeed, but so have you at least 4-5 cm empty free space behind the background. It's not reccomenden to put in the filter, that's understandable. But maybe it's possible to use as adiitional filter?

Look:

I full all the free space behind the background with (for example) ceolit granules/balls. And I hang on the side of the tank the hang-on filter to mix the water between the tank and the space behind the background.
Yes, the primitive version of biological filter, but who cares?

The only question is: is it safe to try? What are you thinking?

Thanks in advance,
Svetlana. n

YES! Go for it!

Using a coarse media like bio-balls will not impede the water movement, and you will be able to clean back there. The added water movement ought to be a benefit, too, in avoiding stagnant water behind this background.

I'll do it! Thanks, Diana! Have you any experience how it works? Do you think that filterballs could work better than ceoliet?

We don't have ceoliet here in the US, but I found this on http://www.fritskuiper.nl/winkel_inpessie.htm.

If you pass the checkout, you will find several cabinets where all the hardware for the aquarium / terrarium you. Steps include pumps, heaters, food, cleaning products, free information leaflets, artificial plants, decorative materials and filter materials such as coal, peat, ceoliet, crystal clear, easy life, Co2 installations etc.

Not sure what kind of filter media it is, but as long as you can clean it or replace it when needed, I would say use it.

Well, ceoliet is rather new in Europe too, but the idea is the same. It's poreus material from the lava stones. They say it clean all the nitrits and nitrates off.
I'll definetely try it.