Who Manufactures Top Fin 20 Filter

Where to put ceramic rings in filter is very of import to get the most out of your bio-media. Ceramic rings are biological media that provides a very large surface expanse for benign bacteria to grow and alive. This leaner on your ceramic rings is required to consummate the Nitrogen Cycle in your tank, which converts harmful ammonia and nitrite in to the less harmful nitrate.

Ceramic rings, and any other form of biological media, always go later the mechanical filtration (sponges) and before the chemical filtration (carbon). In a canister, place your ceramic rings in the tray between your sponges and chemical media.

Why practice ceramic rings go in this society?

The lodge of filtration in any type of filter is always the same. Mechanical offset, so Biological and finally Chemical. Water must be mechanically filtered showtime in gild to remove the particles of fish waste, uneaten food, dirt, and debris from the water.

This volition ensure that the the surface of your ceramic rings does not go "clogged" with any detritus. Beneficial bacteria utilise the surface area of your ceramic rings to abound and alive. You always want the cleanest water, free from detritus, to reach your bio-media (ceramic rings).

The bacteria that abound on your ceramic rings helps to catechumen deadly ammonia and nitrite into the less toxic form of nitrate. Nitrates are removed from your tank by scheduled h2o changes performed by you lot, the fish keeper.

Nitrates tin can also be removed past adding plants in your aquarium. Plants eat the nitrate helping to consummate the total nitrogen bicycle.

Can ceramic rings become inside your tank?

Yes, Ceramic rings can be placed in a bag and placed in your tank and benign bacteria will also grow on the surface expanse of the rings. This method is used when at that place isn't enough infinite within your filter for all the Ceramic rings desired.

Another skilful reason for this method is to create seeded bio-media (bio-media that has bacteria living on it) that can later exist moved into some other tank or filter for a quick cycling of that tank.

With that being said, It is optimal to identify your bio-media within the filter every bit the filter provides an oxygenated menstruation of water over your ceramic rings and beneficial bacteria will flourish and multiply easier and faster.

Are my ceramic rings working?

Ceramic rings, likewise equally all other types of media, are designed to allow for the growth of beneficial bacteria. This bacteria will consume and catechumen the harmful byproducts in your tank that come from fish waste material, uneaten food and other decaying organic thing.

You can be assured that your ceramic rings are working when your tank completes the nitrogen cycle. Completing the wheel would mean there is enough beneficial bacteria in your tank to efficiently remove ammonia and nitrite and catechumen it into the less harmful nitrate.

Testing your h2o frequently with API's Master Test Kit for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate will help you determine when this nitrogen wheel has completed.

Lookout how to use the API Primary exam Kit for a nifty instructional video.

Where to put ceramic rings in filter – HOB

A Hang on Back Filter (or HOB) does not have as much media chapters as a canister filter would. But your ceramic rings will still be placed in the aforementioned order. Depending on what type of HOB you lot have your media will go from dorsum to forepart, or from lesser to top. With mechanical existence kickoff, and then your ceramic rings and finally chemical media.

Hither is a helpful article with more details on using an HOB Filter.

Alternatives to Ceramic Rings

Seachem Matrix

Matrix is a highly porous media designed to provide exceptionally efficient bio filtration for unmarried site removal of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate from freshwater, marine, and reef aquaria.

Each liter of matrix provides over 160,000 cm2 (170 sq. Ft.) of surface, equivalent to over 40 L (10 gallons) of typical plastic ball media.

Fluval BioMax

Fluval BioMax bio rings have a complex pore system creating an optimal environment where beneficial leaner can thrive.

BIOMAX bio rings take more chapters than most biological filter media and allow ideal h2o movement throughout the media to ensure optimal contact time for efficient biological filtration for freshwater and marine environments.

Lava Rock

Lava Rock is very popular in the aquarium hobby. It is widely used as a great source of surface area for benign bacteria to grow and thrive on. Lava stone can be broken downwards to any size to fit your specific filter. Make sure to rinse any dust of thoroughly before installing into your system.

Anarchistic Alternative to Ceramic Rings

Pot Scrubbers

Aye, you read that correctly. Pot Scrubbers are a very cheap merely very efficient form of bio-media. They work simply as well as all the other expensive make name bio-medias like listed above. They take up very little space and can exist compressed in order to utilise as much every bit possible in your filter.

Pot Scrubbers are non widely used in the hobby mainly because large brand name companies prefer united states of america hobbyist to spend the large bucks rather and so to use something as cheap as pot scrubbers.

They work and so well they are the only form of bio-media within my dual FX6'southward keeping my 210 gallon Over Stocked African Cichlid tank cycled and crystal articulate. Beneath is a cracking video on setting up my filters with pot scrubbers as well as their results!