Who has the SS intake covers in their tanks?

[Kunsthure]

I'm considering these but was wondering if they allow more of the crud in the water to get into the filter than a sponge. All my tanks are plagued by floating particles and I highly suspect it's because of the sponge pre-filters.

-Lisa

[cawolf86]

I use a stainless steel 13mm strainer on my lily pipe intake - looks a lot nicer than the zip-tied fluval sponge I had in the past and I actually think it is a finer filter than the sponge.

So if you want something to filter MORE - these are the opposite of what you want. IMO.

[aznartist34]

The ss prefilter will definitely allow more debris to get sucked up, that's why they don't clog as fast as the sponges. I find that I have to clean out my filter more often after switching from the sponge to the ss mesh.

[diwu13]

I don't think the cloudiness is from your sponge prefilters. Unless you just tried to clean it, I find a lot of poo comes out then. But other besides that I don't think there should be a huge difference in water clarity. Maybe if the sponge filter was gunked up enough that the suction of your filter isn't as good... hm..

[Kunsthure]

Originally Posted by diwu13

I don't think the cloudiness is from your sponge prefilters. Unless you just tried to clean it, I find a lot of poo comes out then. But other besides that I don't think there should be a huge difference in water clarity. Maybe if the sponge filter was gunked up enough that the suction of your filter isn't as good... hm..

It's always been like that in all the tanks. I've never had the "sparkling clean water" the things like charcoal and extra filter floss promise. I clean my pre-filters maybe once a week.

-Lisa

[somewhatshocked]

That's how I felt until a couple years ago when I started buying Purigen. Usually $6-$7 for a bag that you can make last more than a year with monthly cleaning. Just toss it in your filter.

Every tank I've got running Purigen has polished water.

Originally Posted by Kunsthure

I've never had the "sparkling clean water" the things like charcoal and extra filter floss promise.
-Lisa

[Kunsthure]

Originally Posted by somewhatshocked

That's how I felt until a couple years ago when I started buying Purigen. Usually $6-$7 for a bag that you can make last more than a year with monthly cleaning. Just toss it in your filter.

Every tank I've got running Purigen has polished water.

I'm definitely buying Purigen for the OEBT tank. I've got my other filters so crammed with media I may not have room for any.

-Lisa

[JoeD323]

Cloudy water and suspended particles are not necessarily the same thing. Your water can be sparkling clear but still have specs of detritus floating about. My water is always crystal clear, yet during feedings and just after water changes, the water tends to have a lot of debris tossed about but the filter will get it in a few hours.

To answer your question, yes, the SS pre-filter will definitely do a much better job than the sponge because the SS won't hinder the strength of the suction like even the cleanest of sponges will.

Joe

[Kunsthure]

It's all suspended particles. All the time, not just after WC.

Are there SS covers big enough for Fluvals?

-Lisa

[Soothing Shrimp]

I have the same challenge Kuns. I only use a sponge filter though, and don't use HOB, so I know that's where mine comes from.

[sbarbee54]

Yeah I was wondering what size fits Aqua Clear intakes, and SunSun ones

[Kunsthure]

Originally Posted by sbarbee54

Yeah I was wondering what size fits Aqua Clear intakes, and SunSun ones

I think I was told 16mm fit the ACs. Unless SunSun has changed its intake design, I don't know if they make them big enough.

-Lisa

[TwoTacoCombo]

I've got the same problem. I've got a 2217 packed with blue pads and floss, and a 2213 packed with floss and a big bag of purigen, all on a 50 gal tank. I'm thinking it's just parts of my plants decaying faster than the filters tank remove it. A lot of my lower leaves are fraying and falling off due to ??? and then the shrimp get to them and tear them up. They're such messy eaters, most of it winds up blowing away in the "wind".

[Soothing Shrimp]

Originally Posted by Kunsthure

I think I was told 16mm fit the ACs. Unless SunSun has changed its intake design, I don't know if they make them big enough.

-Lisa

Should be easy to hack one, by drilling out some of the rubber to make it larger.

[Kunsthure]

My FS thread has brought in way more money than I expected so I may just have the cash to buy some, at least for the two tanks with shrimp.

-Lisa