e902 filter - new version (Amazon): geni.us/DSIRB e902 filter - new version (Ebay): ebay.to/2HyHxFx Taking a look at (and upgrading) the JBL e900 filter which is for 'Aquariums between 90 litres to 300 litres'. This is a decent little filter and although the 'pre-filter' tray doesn't add much to the filter it will extend maintenance times due to the extra coarse foams in the pre-filter making it a good choice for small to medium sized aquariums. Setting this one up is quite straightforward..... I only consider true filtration to be a full cycle which is the reduction of ammonia, nitrite AND nitrate hence the low figures - filters will not be nitrate factories when they are properly sized and properly set up. This series is all about trying to squeeze more efficiency out of internal and external aquarium filters which generally have a limited filtering capacity - If you have a filter you'd like me to feature in a video then please contact me on: sales@filterpro.co.uk 07772848730 (Richard) Anyone who sends a filter will have it upgraded and returned to them for free and the only cost you will pay is how much it costs to ship it to me - I'm helping to boost your filter and the resulting videos will hopefully be useful to viewers all over the world so it's a win/win. *Please do not send any filters without contacting me first as I want to try and cover every type of filter, not 20 of the same make and model* Due to the high international shipping cost I am currently only taking filters from the UK but I'm hoping that as this series progresses a useful database of knowledge will be built up which will help viewers understand how their filters work, the limitations and the steps you could take to improve filtering capacity and efficiency. The goal with any filter is to try and achieve FULL CYCLE filtration which is the reduction in ammonia, nitrite AND nitrate - if you look anywhere online you'll see people tell you that the nitrogen cycle in an aquarium ends with the production of nitrate which is removed by regular (often large) water changes. That is HALF the cycle and is done by AEROBIC bacteria which favors highly oxygenated conditions and is very easy to grow on any surface. The last part of the cycle (reduction in nitrate) is completed by ANAEROBIC bacteria which favors an environment which is very low or devoid of oxygen. It takes filter media with a very specific internal structure to support both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria to allow for full cycle filtration but a suitably sized, well set up filter, will allow the full cycle to complete which results in more stable water conditions and less water changes (typically 10% every 1-2 weeks). Canister filters will generally offer the best provision for filter media but even internals can be significantly improved to boost water quality and fish health. The following videos will be useful to anyone interested in learning more about filtration, bacteria and making the conditions for your fish as good as possible: Sizing a canister properly and filter set up: goo.gl/om19un Looking INSIDE different filter media: goo.gl/hZWS6c Bacteria and filter media: goo.gl/123gAF How to clean an aquarium: goo.gl/bPMhvh Aquarium tips / filtration playlist: goo.gl/pXgqVj Check out my channel for hundreds of videos on a wide range of my hobbies - many of the videos have educational content so if you have enjoyed any give them the thumbs up and share anywhere you think others may benefit from viewing. This channel is purely a hobby for me so I will never ask viewers to donate money for any of my projects or charge anyone for information - information should be shared freely and I certainly don't consider myself an 'expert' in anything I pursue as a hobby so please do your own research, never accept anything as 'fact', reject anyone claiming to be some sort of authority or 'expert' and make your own minds up about anything you wish to study. We all are on a long path of learning......... If you've enjoyed this video please check out the playlists on my channel for hundreds more - on a variety of subjects. Feel free to share or link any of my videos on facebook, twitter, forums etc. for the benefit of anyone you think may also enjoy watching. See you next time. Pondguru RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS ON AMAZON.com: goo.gl/jMaBWy INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/pondguru_outdoors/ FILMING EQUIPMENT: Panasonic HC-VX870 HD camcorder geni.us/3UwE +Rode stereo microphone: geni.us/4OL +Rode 'deadcat' mic cover: geni.us/1pmn JVC Everio quad proof HD camcorder: geni.us/e09e +Rode 'deadcat' mic cover (opened up and held between tripod and camera base) geni.us/dee24 Zomei Z666 tripod: geni.us/1a1af3 Manfrotto MTPIXI-B PIXI mini tripod: geni.us/87f7
If I had the time I would do something a bit different (and have been kicking around an idea for a while) but it would have to be free - people seeking information should never pay for it.
I love the king and pondguru... learned so much from both over the years.. what I would be interested in seeing is a pondguru sump setup. You’ve done tons of canister type setups all the same really.. corse medium and fine followed by as much biohome as you can fit.. a sump has soo many more options for filtration and an entirely differ t animal. I would love to see specifically how you’d setup a sump for say a cichlid tank which is probably the most demanding tank setup around.
john smith lol. Ultimately filtration is very samey as it is all about mechanical then biological then chemical (if used) and really this series is just about putting named filters out there to help anyone with that particular filter as many people are confused about how water flows through their filters and how good or bad the supplied media is. I will get round to doing a sump but I wouldn't expect anything radically different. Maybe a couple of filter socks followed by foams and plenty of media. However the sump does give options for growing plants in one of the sections and there are many native aquatic plants which do well in hard mineralised water. Also plenty which do well in more acidic conditions. I've never seen anyone even mention them for a sump as pond keeper tend to know little about aquariums and aquarium keepers tend to know little about ponds so that will certainly give viewers something to consider as there are so many things which cross over in the two disciplines. As long as videos like that help the people looking for specific information I'm happy. Some videos sink without at trace and others do reasonably well but as long as they help people I'm more than happy to keep making them as the channel isn't a job or about clicks and earnings, hence the focus on helping viewers but I'd still make exactly the same videos if only a handful of people were watching them, lol
@@pondguru I would love to know how you think a Fluval U2 could be improved. U fortunately I'd struggle to send it you as it's currently the only filter on a 32l multifasciatus tank (only 3 of them)! The filter seems to have such little space for media despite actually being quite big. If you can't help without actually having the filter, I can probably move some filters around from other tanks to cover.
Richard because of your sharing of knowledge, I've setup 3 aquariums with the proper and "tweaked" filtration, my fish are very healthy and happy. I've always enjoyed all your videos and the patience you have explaining everything in detail. I'm able to pass on your knowledge and recommend all your videos to all my aquarium enthusiasts & friends. Keep up the awesome work!!
That is great to hear and that's what it should all be about - free sharing of information. Some people will really appreciate the information, some will not but all will be given options if their current set up doesn't work out - knowing WHY something isn't working is the first stage to rectifying the situation.
No worries and I'm really glad to have had this opportunity to make these videos as I'm hoping that they will create a useful reference resource for people all round the world.
I LOVE the book keeping! Keep the brain dumps coming to make us all wiser. Every video you do cements more our understanding of nitrogen cycle in every situation..... feeling like a genious when you make it so simple! Genious genus!
lol, I simply get pleasure from helping people so having the opportunity to help people with this series of videos makes me feel really lucky as so many fish could benefit from the filter being set up well.
I love this series, really satisfying to see the final results. I really like the design of this filter, especially the way the water flows down the sides rather than through tube segments going through the media baskets which in my experience tend to be the most common points of failure in media baskets and also makes cutting foams more difficult.
Thank you for the great video. I setup my JBL Cristalprofi e902 just like you described. I sounded logical. However.... I was unable to get the water of my 125l tank clear. There was pollution in the water and the spraybar silting up. I check the filter and the cotton at the bottom was almost clear after 2 weeks. Now I added also a layer of cotton at the top basked, and in a day it was full of pollution, and the water was clean. So... I think there is still enough water flowing next to the baskets upwards.
Just got the 902... going to follow this. Thanks Richard !! And yes... it is how it comes from the manufacture... it’s round white balls .. they are like ball bearings !
I had this filter once, and loved the bucket and general filter design. Unfortunately also found the pump to be very weak. Pretty sure the moment that fine foam sucks up the minimal gunk, this filter flow cuts down massively
Thanks Richard great video. The concerns I have is that dispite the pre filter foam the bottom foams will still clog up very quickly in practise and you got to strip the lot down to get to them. Filter socks on marine filters usually last 2 days then need cleaning.
Thanks Richard. I think the maufacturers use the “not ideal” coarse foam because the fine stuff just blocks up so quickly. Maybe someone will make a mini version of the Bioforce Revolution filter I use on my pond, thats easy maintenance with fine foam.
I got a e902 because it was on sale. I tried to make my setup as close as possible to the setup you made. But considering I had no real foams available at the time I just reused their original Foams filters.I did get some Filter Floss and a carbon pad) I also got JBL ball (don't remember the exact name), they also advertise the Anaerobic bacteria can settle within it and that it's effectiveness is way better then the past versions of JBL's Micromec (so they claim). So I used their medium. (Couldn't find the BIO Media you keep using in the shop I go to, so took my time finding one that mentioned the anaerobic bacteria) What I also did was cut out a small piece of foam to put on the intake in the aquarium to even further filter a bit ahead and prevent my little shrimps to get sucked in just to be safe. Now a question aside, maybe not specifically on topic is this: I had a chemist friend, who checked with another chemist who is also an aquarium keeper, saying it would be better for me to not include a carbon filter. What are your thoughts on this? Should or should I not include a Carbon pad?
That all sounds good to me and there is no real harm from having a carbon pad except your friend is maybe thinking it will pull in essential trace elements? That is a concern but from feedback we've had over many years there has never been a reported problem establishing a healthy filter bacteria cycle when using carbon as long as it is changed every 7-8 weeks. If it is left in the filter too long then it can start releasing whatever it has drawn in which can cause problems hence the need to replace it when it is 'full' after 7-8 weeks.
@@pondguru I think he refers the effect of carbon filtering out plant fertilizer, as it dissolves the working elements within. I've always learnt not to use carbon media for planted tanks unless you have used medicine to cure fish etc. I will try your method on my e900 but I'll skip the carbon and use more medium instead. I use sinthered glass from Eheim. It has always done the job well. With regard to the foam pads, which ppi do you use here? Additionally, I have medium and fine foam wool. What are your thoughts on wool vs pads? Obviously pads are easier to clean but wool is cheaper to replace.
@@Laurensnl Yes the carbon drawing in plant food is a concern so you're best off filling the filter with as much media as you can. There is no reason why the substrat pro wouldn't enable the filter to achieve a full cycle so I'd be interested to hear your results there. I only have data from feedback on the biohome products and that has enabled me to work out how much of that is needed so 10+ years of feedback on other media would be great too although I'll be an old man before I can work out guidelines for other media at this rate, lol In the UK the PPI of foam isn't really bothered with - it's simply installing a pad which is finer than the previous one followed by a fine pad or floss / wool. As long as the muck is gradually graded out then fines are caught in something it doesn't really matter what is used. At a guess I'd say that the PPI of foams could be around 15-20 for coarse and 40-45 for medium? That can vary slightly from batch to batch but coarse is always coarser than medium and medium is always finer than coarse. As long as they go in the correct order it's all good.
@@pondguru Thanks for your repsonse. I checked for new foams, as I'm out of medium. Found a website where I can get the three types of foams you are using + BioHome Ultimate for the same price as just buying three types of foams in a local store here. This means that I will give the BioHome Ultimate a go as well. Saw your video on the different types of BioHome and I'm curious whether it will outperform the sinthered glass I use from Eheim.
Found a webshop that sells BioHome and the exact same filter pads. Ordered the items and I have just rearranged my filter. One silly learning I had is that the tubes from JBL won't fit. It will only work with the Eheim Mech.
Hi Richard , this filter seems to have a design flaw with the pre filter on top reducing the amount of bio media that the filter can take. You should design the perfect canister filter.
Nothing is ever perfect but you can still get a decent amount of media in here. As long as filters are sized correctly for the tank size and stock then its all good.
or you could do away with the foams in the bottom tray and fill them with biohome ultimate and buy a pre filter or 2 to deal with the mechanical side of things, i have 2 pre filters in line and have my main canister filter full of biohome ultimate and it all works well, water parameters are bang on.... hope other people think of doing this as it means you dont have to disturb your canister filter, i have even put a pre filter in line after my canister filter to deal with the chemical side of things, its half full of biohome and half full of carbon pellets with carbon pad at the top to stop pellets going into tank, and a carbon pad to separate the biohome, works for me with no real loss of flow
That all sounds good to me and I really need to do a video specifically on pre-filtering and post-filtering using the boosters as I forgot to mention that they can be used after a main filter in the video where I showed the booster. I always forget something.....
Nobody has sent a tetra filter yet but I'm sure they will one day - to be honest most filters are set up the same and I really only make these videos for people to see how water flows through their filter, how much media it will hold, what size tanks they are suitable for (for a full cycle) and give a few thoughts on the construction quality of the filters.
hello how do you calculate a complete cycle of filtration? i have a 400 l tank, and i see your TH-cam videos about JBL and Aquael. I don't know which on to buy 700 or 900 for the jBL, or 1500 or 2000 for the aqueal. I'm thinking about your optimisation regards
I replied to this by email as you also sent an email: Dear Vince, Generally we'd allow 1kg of media per 100 litres for a normally stocked tank and around 2kg of media per 100 litres for a heavily stocked tank or marine tank. What stock do you have or are intending to stock in the tank? Regards, Richard
Instead of foam, I roll up two pieces of filter wool that go into the bottom tray of my Fluval 406. Instead of cleaning them out, I chuck them away and replace.
Nice! I just got my jbl e900 a few days ago for 10 bucks from a guy who stopped with aquariums. There were almost 2 kg of active coal 😂. It didn’t stop pouring gray water from the mesh. I think this must be the reason why he stopped
Every time I set up a filter, this time it was a JBL 402, inspired by this video, people ask me why the manufacturers would set up the filters in a less than optimal way. I don't know what to tell them?
I've made over 90 videos in this series and I still struggle to see why and how manufacturers set their filters up in a sub-optimal way. The only thing that I've come up with is that the first canisters were set up wrong with the fine pad being last in the system and everyone after that copied - however, that's quite a lazy excuse since it's obvious that good porous media needs to operate in clean water to be most effective. All sewage and water treatment plants treat water in sensible stages by going from coarse to medium to fine mechanical filtration followed by biological filtration (in clean water) followed by any chemical adjustment. Somehow that obvious method of water filtration still has not translated to aquarium filtration.
@pondguru Yeah, many really seem to be set on having a fine filter as the very last PoF (Point of Filtration, I just made that up), even though it makes no difference to add it after the media. If the water passed through the filter at some point, well, then it's filtered! Maybe some people just like to see their medie covered in muck, because it makes them feel like then there's lot of bacteria there? Anyway, I swear to the PondGuru way, because that is obviously the correct way! And my setups always end up working wery well doing that. Stable, clear water, and low maintenance.
My canister has 4 trays. Can I do two mechanical and two bio? Tray one with course, med, fine. Tray two with polyfil and bonded filter pad. Trays three and four filled with 1kg of biohome ultimate each. The flow rate on this canister is 360gph and its filtering my 60g tropical aquarium. Will filling these to capacity lower my turnover rate enough to make the filter less effective?
why in some filters he put in the ground outside of thebasket the ceramic rollers and in some filters he doesn´t, i dont know if i should od that, thank you
what? Do you mean the rings he puts at the bottom of some filters? That is the primary settlement which helps catch even more muck and debris before the water hits the pads.
@@TrueSavage555 yep i know, but in some he doesnt do that so i was just wondering. maybe its because there is no more place anad the head of filter doesnt close?
It would be interesting to know JBL's rationale for originally fitting their bio media on the bottom! It never made any sense to me, but I went along with it. I once wrote to them and they replied that the filter is versatile, without offering an explanation for their idea of the setup.
Hi Guru and all who are reading this, I am using "expanded clay aggregate" which is super cheap, super porous BUT it floats. Would you think using a coarse pad on top (or at the end of the filter flow) to prevent those clay pebbles to float around the outlet is necessary? It's not like they are small enough to go into the impeller, but maybe they will create noise and lower the flow rate.
I have a 350ltr 4ft with fx6. Thinking of buying the jbl e902 & using it for just polishing water with mechanical & chemical media. Would you recommend this filter or somthing else pondguru?
Hi Pondguru, i had order an e702 and would like to rearrange it, what material is that White fine sponge? And another question, the second box are full of volcanic lapilli? I'm so sorry of my english isn't good, so i hope you can understand me. Thank you for your Amazing channel... Have a good day... Tony
Hi I tried to replicate what you done with this filter but even with one layer on the bottom it kept the other trays from seating in correctly I also tried breaking them but had to skip this and copy the rest of the trays is it possible that some of these have slightly different spacing at the bottom.
Hi Richard. A bit off topic but have you tried any low price video cameras or adapted an old phone to video underwater pond footage. I would like to lower my old phone into my pond to film a bit of underwater footage and wondered if you had any ideas for waterproof containers. Perhaps a project for TH-cam. Thanks cheers barry
I used to have an underwater camera in my old pond which was always crystal clear and I made up videos of the fish to play in the shop which people loved to see. I haven't tried anything since then but may look back into that when the pond clears....after I build the mega-filter. I could even set up a live feed as it is in wi-fi signal from the house.
Great video and even more great chanel! But maybe the most strange question you have had since... Can this filter be used for a pound of 700 liters with 5 goldfish in it outside?
Hi great video 😊 i have jbl e902 and e1502 but they have diferent first baskets🤔 also do I need a course foam inside the filter if I have a prefilters ( course foam ) on the inlet pipe in the aquarium ? Maybe one day you can make a video about e..02 series 😉
I think they have an extra pre-filter basket? If so that really makes no sense as all the muck will be in the top half of the filter and that makes the chances of media getting muck on (through bypass) much greater. If someone sends an 02 I will do it no problem. I should really remove the '902' from the video title as it doesn't apply here.
I have a fx5 filter.got pre filter in top tray,and biomax in the other two trays.been like this for 6 years.so thought i try your way,which does make sense.so I changed the top pre filter tray to pond sponges.coarse then medium and fine.now it gets blocked in two weeks.the outlet was dribbling out.any help with be great.
Hello I just got 2 kg of biohome ultimate I’m in Victoria Australia my canister filter is about 1 week away from its cycling how can I add this new biohome to my canister now can you please help
Thanks a lot for the video..I really got all the info I needed and I did what exactly u did and I am having good results of 0 ammonia 0 nitrites and around 40-50 ppm nitrates for almost 2 weeks now so when do u advise me to do water change and when to clean out my filter??!
If the filter is big enough for the tank and stock (and you have enough media in) you should notice the nitrate come down in next few months but the tank still needs a weekly water change using a gravel cleaner to remove waste from bottom of tank and freshen things up a bit. Ideally you's still do a weekly change of 10%-15% depending on tank size even when you achieve a full cycle and zero nitrates as tank loses trace elements naturally and needs them replacing from fresh water.
Whats the name of that red bio media your using? This video has helped me alot. I still had the basic media in there but bit by bit im gonna change it al out
Thank you for your Videos. I have a question : changing all that and adding the ceramic rings on the bottom and all that dense first layer DOES THAT AFFECT THE FILTRATION OF LITERS / HOUR ?? Thank you 👏👏
How do I reduce the current/water flow from the filter? Is there a way to do so with the e900? I believe the current is too strong for my fish to properly swim. Thank you.
If you use the spray bar the flow should be fine but to reduce it further you can install a flow control tap in the outlet pipe to further reduce the flow.
Hi I have this filter but could not put them in hole on the bottom so I had to break them in half or the lid would not sit correctly is that just as good
Thanks for the tips. What is your take on adding charcoal to make water clearer and stop smell. If charcoal is to be added, where can it go in the chambers?
Any 'chemical' media such as charcoal and carbon would ideally go last in the filter system and I'd definitely recommend charcoal or carbon over any of the 'fancy' chemical media like purigen or chemipure which seem to have a detrimental (starving?) effect on bacteria. No problems when using carbon or charcoal, just very clear water.
Certainly any shop or online seller which sells pond fish / pond equipment will have similar foams in the UK and most of Europe - US / CA seems more difficult to get it but you'll find it on ebay.com and amazon.com - just search 'replacement pond foams' - you may need to order from China via those sites if you're in US or CA.
Thnx for ur time and anwsere im from the Netherlands we do have the blue foam but cant find the black coarse bubble we only have the blue foam bubble . Ik love ur videos and i will give my jbl901 a try with pimp my filter .
Hii Pondguru i m from India.. U r videos r very knowledgeable regarding nitrogen cycle. I have Hydor Professional 600 canister filter for my oscar tank which is 135 gallon(510 litre tank) i m using as per manufacturer instructions still i need in depth how can i maximise my filteration. I have 4 adult size oscars..... U r reply must b appreciated... Thanks
I haven't had the opportunity to take one of those filters apart but the filter volume is described as being 12 cubic litres which makes it a big one. Feel free to send the tray dimensions to me via email (as I often miss comments on TH-cam) - it is sales@filterpro.co.uk - and I will be able to work out how much media the trays would hold. It looks like a standard upward flow through the trays in that filter so foams and fine pad would be in bottom tray leaving 4? trays for media. Regards, Richard
All the biohome media should last a good 6-10 years at high efficiency in a well set up filter and the way to tell it is becoming clogged is if you notice nitrate creeping back up (assuming you've used enough to achieve full cycle in the first place). However, if it is clogged and nitrate rises simply bake it in a hot oven for 45-60 minutes to burn off organic matter and give it more years of life. All the media will work in any situation but we make it different sizes and different porosity for different flow rates / types of filters. The biohome ultimate as used in almost all of the canister filter upgrade videos is the most efficient for canister filters.
Hi Richard I have a question, I have a small marine nano tank with Bio Home media in an external filter which works great. I recently purchased a 250 litre tank that i'm going to use with a sump, my question is would it be possible to use Bio Home media in the sump instead of the usual rock rubble or coral sand for nitrate control
Yes, loads of people use the biohome ultimate marine in saltwater tanks instead of live rock. as long as you use between 1.5kg - 2kg per 100 litres for marine systems you should achieve a full cycle but more is always better - you can never have too much surface area available for bacteria.
He might not like the foams involved, but I simply left all the factory foams (the four white ones that go vertical, and the black coarse foam in the bottom tray) and then filled the rest of the trays with biohome ultimate, like he did here. If you want more polishing, then put a fine pad on the tray right above the bottom one, and put your biohome right on top of it.
hi im new to fish keeping i have a 4 foot fish tank 233 liters . and not sure what canister filter to get. i have been looking at the eheim pro 4 or the jbl 1902 and the oase biomaster 600. what one would u get . im moving house soon so will be setting up tank after xmas. just getting bits at mo to make a start. thanks
They are all good filters and as long as you get one which is easily big enough for the tank and stock they will all provide excellent quality water. I really like the idea of the removable pre-filter in the Oase biomaster 600 but there are issues with water flow restriction in that section. I recently shot a video on that exact filter (which needs editing for upload) and I added sponges in the pre-filter which are more coarse and also drilled extra holes into the pre-filter intake pipe there to maintain good flow.
I know that the videos will probably become quite samey reasonably quickly in this series but it's all about helping people with the individual filters to understand how they work and how they could be made to work more efficiently. I think someone is sending a 306 or 206 up this week but I can't remember due to the amount which are on the way or already shot. Still to edit down are videos with Eheim ecco 300, juwel internal filter, dennerle hob filter, FX6, JBL 1901, Aqua one 980 trickle filter, Aqua one Moray 700 and I think a couple more filters are due to arrive today, lol It's costing me a fortune in media and postage but if it helps to create a resource of information for people around the world then it is money well spent since there is a dearth of good information on TH-cam - most video creators are heading down the awfully self-serving vlog route as they get crazy views (and earnings...) and that's not for me at all.
Pondguru thanx I'll look forward to it , have been using home bio media in 306 fluval , but for the life of me I see no reason for the red side course forms they use when water goes into the canister . Been raking my brain on what to do with that bit .. I'm sure u'll come up with something . All the rest of the filter is done by your standard .. so fingers cross u can give us some ideas ... well done for all the information 👍
I freshly own a Cristalfprofi e902 and a 240 Liter aquarium with 7 goldfish. I do 20% waterchange a week. For me the e902 is a fine filter, but noisy. What do you recommend for a silent upgrade? I was thinking about an Oase 350 or 600.
If you're considering the Oase 600 I'd say save up a bit more and go for the 850 since it easily holds 5kg of media which gives you the 2kg per 100 litres recommended for a heavily stocked tank.
@@pondguru Thank you. What's the most silent option, but still a good filter what you recommend? Regardless the brand. Please also recommend the media from your store to use?
@@rdh67dh Most filters will be almost silent unless they are drawing in air from the intake and it is being chopped up by the pump. I've just uploaded a video which demonstrates where the placement of outlet and intake should be on a normal tank set up. It also shows how air bubbles travel around the tank. For most of the canister filter videos I use the Biohome Ultimate since it was designed for use in canister filters and has a perfect balance of size and porosity.
Yes just the same method of set up but I have just done a video on the 1901 which should give you a better idea of how much media fits in each tray of the 1501 (it is episode 20) - media will last many years and you should get at least 12-18 months use from coarse and medium foam, fine pad would be replaced as necessary as it gets clogged up and can't be cleaned.
I've had a few people say that they will be sending a 306 but so far none have arrived so that is one which could be done. However please send me an email in the middle of next week as I think there may already be one on the way up here. I've got a 2000 lph APS filter here as I've used it in a previous video so that one will be making an appearance in this series. If you contact me middle of this coming week I will know if there is a 306 coming or not.
e902 filter - new version (Amazon): geni.us/DSIRB
e902 filter - new version (Ebay): ebay.to/2HyHxFx
Taking a look at (and upgrading) the JBL e900 filter which is for 'Aquariums between 90 litres to 300 litres'.
This is a decent little filter and although the 'pre-filter' tray doesn't add much to the filter it will extend maintenance times due to the extra coarse foams in the pre-filter making it a good choice for small to medium sized aquariums.
Setting this one up is quite straightforward.....
I only consider true filtration to be a full cycle which is the reduction of ammonia, nitrite AND nitrate hence the low figures - filters will not be nitrate factories when they are properly sized and properly set up.
This series is all about trying to squeeze more efficiency out of internal and external aquarium filters which generally have a limited filtering capacity - If you have a filter you'd like me to feature in a video then please contact me on:
sales@filterpro.co.uk
07772848730 (Richard)
Anyone who sends a filter will have it upgraded and returned to them for free and the only cost you will pay is how much it costs to ship it to me - I'm helping to boost your filter and the resulting videos will hopefully be useful to viewers all over the world so it's a win/win.
*Please do not send any filters without contacting me first as I want to try and cover every type of filter, not 20 of the same make and model*
Due to the high international shipping cost I am currently only taking filters from the UK but I'm hoping that as this series progresses a useful database of knowledge will be built up which will help viewers understand how their filters work, the limitations and the steps you could take to improve filtering capacity and efficiency.
The goal with any filter is to try and achieve FULL CYCLE filtration which is the reduction in ammonia, nitrite AND nitrate - if you look anywhere online you'll see people tell you that the nitrogen cycle in an aquarium ends with the production of nitrate which is removed by regular (often large) water changes.
That is HALF the cycle and is done by AEROBIC bacteria which favors highly oxygenated conditions and is very easy to grow on any surface.
The last part of the cycle (reduction in nitrate) is completed by ANAEROBIC bacteria which favors an environment which is very low or devoid of oxygen. It takes filter media with a very specific internal structure to support both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria to allow for full cycle filtration but a suitably sized, well set up filter, will allow the full cycle to complete which results in more stable water conditions and less water changes (typically 10% every 1-2 weeks). Canister filters will generally offer the best provision for filter media but even internals can be significantly improved to boost water quality and fish health.
The following videos will be useful to anyone interested in learning more about filtration, bacteria and making the conditions for your fish as good as possible:
Sizing a canister properly and filter set up: goo.gl/om19un
Looking INSIDE different filter media: goo.gl/hZWS6c
Bacteria and filter media: goo.gl/123gAF
How to clean an aquarium: goo.gl/bPMhvh
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Pondguru you could write a book like the king of DIY
If I had the time I would do something a bit different (and have been kicking around an idea for a while) but it would have to be free - people seeking information should never pay for it.
I love the king and pondguru... learned so much from both over the years.. what I would be interested in seeing is a pondguru sump setup. You’ve done tons of canister type setups all the same really.. corse medium and fine followed by as much biohome as you can fit.. a sump has soo many more options for filtration and an entirely differ t animal. I would love to see specifically how you’d setup a sump for say a cichlid tank which is probably the most demanding tank setup around.
john smith lol. Ultimately filtration is very samey as it is all about mechanical then biological then chemical (if used) and really this series is just about putting named filters out there to help anyone with that particular filter as many people are confused about how water flows through their filters and how good or bad the supplied media is.
I will get round to doing a sump but I wouldn't expect anything radically different. Maybe a couple of filter socks followed by foams and plenty of media. However the sump does give options for growing plants in one of the sections and there are many native aquatic plants which do well in hard mineralised water. Also plenty which do well in more acidic conditions.
I've never seen anyone even mention them for a sump as pond keeper tend to know little about aquariums and aquarium keepers tend to know little about ponds so that will certainly give viewers something to consider as there are so many things which cross over in the two disciplines.
As long as videos like that help the people looking for specific information I'm happy. Some videos sink without at trace and others do reasonably well but as long as they help people I'm more than happy to keep making them as the channel isn't a job or about clicks and earnings, hence the focus on helping viewers but I'd still make exactly the same videos if only a handful of people were watching them, lol
@@pondguru I would love to know how you think a Fluval U2 could be improved. U fortunately I'd struggle to send it you as it's currently the only filter on a 32l multifasciatus tank (only 3 of them)! The filter seems to have such little space for media despite actually being quite big. If you can't help without actually having the filter, I can probably move some filters around from other tanks to cover.
Richard because of your sharing of knowledge, I've setup 3 aquariums with the proper and "tweaked" filtration, my fish are very healthy and happy. I've always enjoyed all your videos and the patience you have explaining everything in detail. I'm able to pass on your knowledge and recommend all your videos to all my aquarium enthusiasts & friends.
Keep up the awesome work!!
That is great to hear and that's what it should all be about - free sharing of information. Some people will really appreciate the information, some will not but all will be given options if their current set up doesn't work out - knowing WHY something isn't working is the first stage to rectifying the situation.
This series is so enjoyable, than you for your time.
No worries, glad you find it useful.
Every time Im watching your video's you have me glue to the screen. Thank Richard for all you do.
No worries and I'm really glad to have had this opportunity to make these videos as I'm hoping that they will create a useful reference resource for people all round the world.
I LOVE the book keeping! Keep the brain dumps coming to make us all wiser. Every video you do cements more our understanding of nitrogen cycle in every situation..... feeling like a genious when you make it so simple!
Genious genus!
lol, I simply get pleasure from helping people so having the opportunity to help people with this series of videos makes me feel really lucky as so many fish could benefit from the filter being set up well.
I love this series, really satisfying to see the final results. I really like the design of this filter, especially the way the water flows down the sides rather than through tube segments going through the media baskets which in my experience tend to be the most common points of failure in media baskets and also makes cutting foams more difficult.
Yes having a simple shape tray makes it much easier to get the foams in properly.
You are actually the Aquarium Guru u goes in every deepth of details
Just like my diy setup on this jbl 901 :) Following your setup advice from earlyer vids. Using it about 1year now. Working exelent in my 180l
Awesome - that is great to hear and thanks for the feedback.
Just bought this filter few weeks ago and now you are showing how to optimize it. I am a lucky guy ;).
Groovy.
That is the whole reason behind doing the videos - they are there to help.
Top job Richard. Really pleased with the end result. Thank you so much. Adam
Thank you for the great video. I setup my JBL Cristalprofi e902 just like you described. I sounded logical. However.... I was unable to get the water of my 125l tank clear. There was pollution in the water and the spraybar silting up. I check the filter and the cotton at the bottom was almost clear after 2 weeks. Now I added also a layer of cotton at the top basked, and in a day it was full of pollution, and the water was clean. So... I think there is still enough water flowing next to the baskets upwards.
Got the e701 yesterday, that's exactly how it came!
Just got the 902... going to follow this. Thanks Richard !!
And yes... it is how it comes from the manufacture... it’s round white balls .. they are like ball bearings !
Yep, same here, just inboxes mine. Glad I found this vid. How has this set up worked for you ??
I had this filter once, and loved the bucket and general filter design. Unfortunately also found the pump to be very weak. Pretty sure the moment that fine foam sucks up the minimal gunk, this filter flow cuts down massively
Thanks Richard great video. The concerns I have is that dispite the pre filter foam the bottom foams will still clog up very quickly in practise and you got to strip the lot down to get to them. Filter socks on marine filters usually last 2 days then need cleaning.
Yes the pre-filter trays are a bit of a waste and I'd prefer not to have them taking up space in a filter.
Thanks Richard. I think the maufacturers use the “not ideal” coarse foam because the fine stuff just blocks up so quickly. Maybe someone will make a mini version of the Bioforce Revolution filter I use on my pond, thats easy maintenance with fine foam.
I got a e902 because it was on sale. I tried to make my setup as close as possible to the setup you made. But considering I had no real foams available at the time I just reused their original Foams filters.I did get some Filter Floss and a carbon pad)
I also got JBL ball (don't remember the exact name), they also advertise the Anaerobic bacteria can settle within it and that it's effectiveness is way better then the past versions of JBL's Micromec (so they claim). So I used their medium. (Couldn't find the BIO Media you keep using in the shop I go to, so took my time finding one that mentioned the anaerobic bacteria)
What I also did was cut out a small piece of foam to put on the intake in the aquarium to even further filter a bit ahead and prevent my little shrimps to get sucked in just to be safe.
Now a question aside, maybe not specifically on topic is this: I had a chemist friend, who checked with another chemist who is also an aquarium keeper, saying it would be better for me to not include a carbon filter.
What are your thoughts on this? Should or should I not include a Carbon pad?
That all sounds good to me and there is no real harm from having a carbon pad except your friend is maybe thinking it will pull in essential trace elements? That is a concern but from feedback we've had over many years there has never been a reported problem establishing a healthy filter bacteria cycle when using carbon as long as it is changed every 7-8 weeks.
If it is left in the filter too long then it can start releasing whatever it has drawn in which can cause problems hence the need to replace it when it is 'full' after 7-8 weeks.
@@pondguru I think he refers the effect of carbon filtering out plant fertilizer, as it dissolves the working elements within. I've always learnt not to use carbon media for planted tanks unless you have used medicine to cure fish etc. I will try your method on my e900 but I'll skip the carbon and use more medium instead. I use sinthered glass from Eheim. It has always done the job well. With regard to the foam pads, which ppi do you use here? Additionally, I have medium and fine foam wool. What are your thoughts on wool vs pads? Obviously pads are easier to clean but wool is cheaper to replace.
@@Laurensnl Yes the carbon drawing in plant food is a concern so you're best off filling the filter with as much media as you can. There is no reason why the substrat pro wouldn't enable the filter to achieve a full cycle so I'd be interested to hear your results there. I only have data from feedback on the biohome products and that has enabled me to work out how much of that is needed so 10+ years of feedback on other media would be great too although I'll be an old man before I can work out guidelines for other media at this rate, lol
In the UK the PPI of foam isn't really bothered with - it's simply installing a pad which is finer than the previous one followed by a fine pad or floss / wool. As long as the muck is gradually graded out then fines are caught in something it doesn't really matter what is used.
At a guess I'd say that the PPI of foams could be around 15-20 for coarse and 40-45 for medium? That can vary slightly from batch to batch but coarse is always coarser than medium and medium is always finer than coarse. As long as they go in the correct order it's all good.
@@pondguru Thanks for your repsonse. I checked for new foams, as I'm out of medium. Found a website where I can get the three types of foams you are using + BioHome Ultimate for the same price as just buying three types of foams in a local store here. This means that I will give the BioHome Ultimate a go as well. Saw your video on the different types of BioHome and I'm curious whether it will outperform the sinthered glass I use from Eheim.
Found a webshop that sells BioHome and the exact same filter pads. Ordered the items and I have just rearranged my filter. One silly learning I had is that the tubes from JBL won't fit. It will only work with the Eheim Mech.
Great video again Rich
Great demonstration. Please, please address the Marina S10 on a future Pimp My Filter for us nano-tankers! A lot of us out there. Thank you!
(my other channel) I will if I get one sent, no worries.
Pimping my jbl e901 right now! Thanks very very useful video!
Cheers
Hi Richard , this filter seems to have a design flaw with the pre filter on top reducing the amount of bio media that the filter can take. You should design the perfect canister filter.
Nothing is ever perfect but you can still get a decent amount of media in here. As long as filters are sized correctly for the tank size and stock then its all good.
Thank you Richard, Great Video as always! Will look forward to the next one!
Groovy - next one may be Juwel internal filter.
Thanks for that mate my filter was set up completely wrong so will be sorting it tomorrow ,thanks again Richard 😊😊😉😉😆
No worries, glad you found it useful
or you could do away with the foams in the bottom tray and fill them with biohome ultimate and buy a pre filter or 2 to deal with the mechanical side of things, i have 2 pre filters in line and have my main canister filter full of biohome ultimate and it all works well, water parameters are bang on.... hope other people think of doing this as it means you dont have to disturb your canister filter, i have even put a pre filter in line after my canister filter to deal with the chemical side of things, its half full of biohome and half full of carbon pellets with carbon pad at the top to stop pellets going into tank, and a carbon pad to separate the biohome, works for me with no real loss of flow
That all sounds good to me and I really need to do a video specifically on pre-filtering and post-filtering using the boosters as I forgot to mention that they can be used after a main filter in the video where I showed the booster. I always forget something.....
im always forgetting stuff too lol
Very useful, would love to see a Tetra ex800 plus
Nobody has sent a tetra filter yet but I'm sure they will one day - to be honest most filters are set up the same and I really only make these videos for people to see how water flows through their filter, how much media it will hold, what size tanks they are suitable for (for a full cycle) and give a few thoughts on the construction quality of the filters.
hello
how do you calculate a complete cycle of filtration?
i have a 400 l tank, and i see your TH-cam videos about JBL and Aquael. I don't know which on to buy 700 or 900 for the jBL, or 1500 or 2000 for the aqueal. I'm thinking about your optimisation
regards
I replied to this by email as you also sent an email:
Dear Vince,
Generally we'd allow 1kg of media per 100 litres for a normally stocked tank and around 2kg of media per 100 litres for a heavily stocked tank or marine tank.
What stock do you have or are intending to stock in the tank?
Regards,
Richard
Another great vid. Can't wait to see the other 2 once done.
I'm busy editing the Juwel filter video now so hopefully if I get time to finish that it will but up tonight or tomorrow.
just been looking at this love the videos could you do a jbl cristalprofi e902 greenline setup i need hlep for the top tray on this one
It.s the same setup
As ever, spot on. I'm having great results with my bio ultimate. Best buy ever.
Groovy - that is good to hear.
Instead of foam, I roll up two pieces of filter wool that go into the bottom tray of my Fluval 406. Instead of cleaning them out, I chuck them away and replace.
Thanks Pondguru, that answered my eheim professional 3 filter as you mentioned it would in my previous comments :-)
Just two weeks ago I chucked out my MicroMec and added another kg BioHome. The solution to any filter is: MOAR BIOHOME! MOAR!
Christie Nel 😂😂😂😂
thx for recommend
Been looking for someone to review this very helpfull! Thank you
Nice! I just got my jbl e900 a few days ago for 10 bucks from a guy who stopped with aquariums. There were almost 2 kg of active coal 😂. It didn’t stop pouring gray water from the mesh. I think this must be the reason why he stopped
That seems like a great deal and 2kg of active coal is good for the garden if you grow vegetables.
@@pondguru oh I didn’t know that, thanks for sharing!
Would love to see a video on a fluval 206 canister! In the USA so can't really send it! Great videos keep on pimping!
I think someone is sending one of those up to me so hopefully I'll film that one soon.
Every time I set up a filter, this time it was a JBL 402, inspired by this video, people ask me why the manufacturers would set up the filters in a less than optimal way. I don't know what to tell them?
I've made over 90 videos in this series and I still struggle to see why and how manufacturers set their filters up in a sub-optimal way.
The only thing that I've come up with is that the first canisters were set up wrong with the fine pad being last in the system and everyone after that copied - however, that's quite a lazy excuse since it's obvious that good porous media needs to operate in clean water to be most effective.
All sewage and water treatment plants treat water in sensible stages by going from coarse to medium to fine mechanical filtration followed by biological filtration (in clean water) followed by any chemical adjustment.
Somehow that obvious method of water filtration still has not translated to aquarium filtration.
@pondguru Yeah, many really seem to be set on having a fine filter as the very last PoF (Point of Filtration, I just made that up), even though it makes no difference to add it after the media. If the water passed through the filter at some point, well, then it's filtered!
Maybe some people just like to see their medie covered in muck, because it makes them feel like then there's lot of bacteria there?
Anyway, I swear to the PondGuru way, because that is obviously the correct way! And my setups always end up working wery well doing that. Stable, clear water, and low maintenance.
My canister has 4 trays. Can I do two mechanical and two bio? Tray one with course, med, fine. Tray two with polyfil and bonded filter pad. Trays three and four filled with 1kg of biohome ultimate each. The flow rate on this canister is 360gph and its filtering my 60g tropical aquarium. Will filling these to capacity lower my turnover rate enough to make the filter less effective?
Good day to you rich @ pondguru !! 👍👍😁😁 Thanks for sharing your thoughts, knowledge and experience on another fantastic ""Pimp my filter video"" 😁😁👍👍
Since I have a eheim eco 300 i'll be very interested to see what you do with it, lookin' foward to that one!
I have done one of those and just need to edit it down.
Where to get the foam pads and media? Thanks
Hi love the videos I have l learn a lot I am just settling up my aqua nano 60 and was wondering how you would set up a all in one tank
Thanks
Tony
Does the more dense foam that you have added not slow the flow of the water and make the pump struggle
?
You are right my friend.
Too much things inside the filter will slow the flow and cuse the pump noises
Hello, thanks for the video. Can you tell me where we can find the different mosses and brown biological supports from the video?
I'm not sure what you are asking here?
why in some filters he put in the ground outside of thebasket the ceramic rollers and in some filters he doesn´t, i dont know if i should od that, thank you
what? Do you mean the rings he puts at the bottom of some filters? That is the primary settlement which helps catch even more muck and debris before the water hits the pads.
@@TrueSavage555 yep i know, but in some he doesnt do that so i was just wondering. maybe its because there is no more place anad the head of filter doesnt close?
@@tukane27 Yeah, Some filters dont have enough space at the bottom.
It would be interesting to know JBL's rationale for originally fitting their bio media on the bottom! It never made any sense to me, but I went along with it. I once wrote to them and they replied that the filter is versatile, without offering an explanation for their idea of the setup.
Hi. What about in this example to use two trays of mechanic (with the 3 layers of foams) and two biologic trays???
Hi Guru and all who are reading this, I am using "expanded clay aggregate" which is super cheap, super porous BUT it floats. Would you think using a coarse pad on top (or at the end of the filter flow) to prevent those clay pebbles to float around the outlet is necessary? It's not like they are small enough to go into the impeller, but maybe they will create noise and lower the flow rate.
I have a 350ltr 4ft with fx6. Thinking of buying the jbl e902 & using it for just polishing water with mechanical & chemical media. Would you recommend this filter or somthing else pondguru?
Hi Pondguru, i had order an e702 and would like to rearrange it, what material is that White fine sponge?
And another question, the second box are full of volcanic lapilli?
I'm so sorry of my english isn't good, so i hope you can understand me.
Thank you for your Amazing channel...
Have a good day...
Tony
The white fine pad you use - is that like the woolly filter floss ?
Hi I tried to replicate what you done with this filter but even with one layer on the bottom it kept the other trays from seating in correctly I also tried breaking them but had to skip this and copy the rest of the trays is it possible that some of these have slightly different spacing at the bottom.
Hi Richard. A bit off topic but have you tried any low price video cameras or adapted an old phone to video underwater pond footage. I would like to lower my old phone into my pond to film a bit of underwater footage and wondered if you had any ideas for waterproof containers. Perhaps a project for TH-cam. Thanks cheers barry
I used to have an underwater camera in my old pond which was always crystal clear and I made up videos of the fish to play in the shop which people loved to see. I haven't tried anything since then but may look back into that when the pond clears....after I build the mega-filter. I could even set up a live feed as it is in wi-fi signal from the house.
Great video and even more great chanel! But maybe the most strange question you have had since... Can this filter be used for a pound of 700 liters with 5 goldfish in it outside?
How often should we open the impeller bit to clean it,? How to do it?
Hi great video 😊 i have jbl e902 and e1502 but they have diferent first baskets🤔 also do I need a course foam inside the filter if I have a prefilters ( course foam ) on the inlet pipe in the aquarium ? Maybe one day you can make a video about e..02 series 😉
I think they have an extra pre-filter basket? If so that really makes no sense as all the muck will be in the top half of the filter and that makes the chances of media getting muck on (through bypass) much greater. If someone sends an 02 I will do it no problem.
I should really remove the '902' from the video title as it doesn't apply here.
@@pondguru so how would you set this ..02 series ? This same way as the ..01 and skip that firts basket ?
Until I have a hands-on with one I can't say for sure but it looks like the top 2 trays are for the foams and fine pad.
I have a fx5 filter.got pre filter in top tray,and biomax in the other two trays.been like this for 6 years.so thought i try your way,which does make sense.so I changed the top pre filter tray to pond sponges.coarse then medium and fine.now it gets blocked in two weeks.the outlet was dribbling out.any help with be great.
These videos are awesome. Thank you! Please can you do a fluval 406.
If someone send one up then yes - I'm sure it will happen soon.
Hello I just got 2 kg of biohome ultimate I’m in Victoria Australia my canister filter is about 1 week away from its cycling how can I add this new biohome to my canister now can you please help
Hi Richard how shut you setup a jbl 702 e like you're videos 😃👍
That media is glass I have 2 1501s they're a great filter
Thanks a lot for the video..I really got all the info I needed and I did what exactly u did and I am having good results of 0 ammonia 0 nitrites and around 40-50 ppm nitrates for almost 2 weeks now so when do u advise me to do water change and when to clean out my filter??!
If the filter is big enough for the tank and stock (and you have enough media in) you should notice the nitrate come down in next few months but the tank still needs a weekly water change using a gravel cleaner to remove waste from bottom of tank and freshen things up a bit. Ideally you's still do a weekly change of 10%-15% depending on tank size even when you achieve a full cycle and zero nitrates as tank loses trace elements naturally and needs them replacing from fresh water.
those ceramic balls would make awesome catapult ammo .
They certainly would and I think I may still have those here if you want them, lol
Whats the name of that red bio media your using? This video has helped me alot. I still had the basic media in there but bit by bit im gonna change it al out
That is Biohome Ultimate - link in video description and pinned comment.
www.filterpro.co.uk
What about a jbl greenlife 1501e.? Do you have a movie or a sheet of the items You can do in there and how much
Thank you for your Videos. I have a question : changing all that and adding the ceramic rings on the bottom and all that dense first layer DOES THAT AFFECT THE FILTRATION OF LITERS / HOUR ?? Thank you 👏👏
How do I reduce the current/water flow from the filter? Is there a way to do so with the e900? I believe the current is too strong for my fish to properly swim. Thank you.
If you use the spray bar the flow should be fine but to reduce it further you can install a flow control tap in the outlet pipe to further reduce the flow.
Can you please do a pimp my filter episode on the tetra 800 canister filter
If someone sends one up then no worries, I will do it.
Hi I have this filter but could not put them in hole on the bottom so I had to break them in half or the lid would not sit correctly is that just as good
Thanks good job,i gonna do my jbl e1501 tomorrow
¿Y no pierde caudal con la modificación?
Any specific reason not to fill the top middle with biohome??
Thanks for the tips. What is your take on adding charcoal to make water clearer and stop smell. If charcoal is to be added, where can it go in the chambers?
Any 'chemical' media such as charcoal and carbon would ideally go last in the filter system and I'd definitely recommend charcoal or carbon over any of the 'fancy' chemical media like purigen or chemipure which seem to have a detrimental (starving?) effect on bacteria. No problems when using carbon or charcoal, just very clear water.
Wow awesome video can you get the black and blue foam in a local fish store?
Certainly any shop or online seller which sells pond fish / pond equipment will have similar foams in the UK and most of Europe - US / CA seems more difficult to get it but you'll find it on ebay.com and amazon.com - just search 'replacement pond foams' - you may need to order from China via those sites if you're in US or CA.
Thnx for ur time and anwsere im from the Netherlands we do have the blue foam but cant find the black coarse bubble we only have the blue foam bubble . Ik love ur videos and i will give my jbl901 a try with pimp my filter .
Can you endlessly use your biological filtration material or do you have to replace them at some point of time?
Hii Pondguru i m from India.. U r videos r very knowledgeable regarding nitrogen cycle. I have Hydor Professional 600 canister filter for my oscar tank which is 135 gallon(510 litre tank) i m using as per manufacturer instructions still i need in depth how can i maximise my filteration. I have 4 adult size oscars..... U r reply must b appreciated... Thanks
I haven't had the opportunity to take one of those filters apart but the filter volume is described as being 12 cubic litres which makes it a big one.
Feel free to send the tray dimensions to me via email (as I often miss comments on TH-cam) - it is sales@filterpro.co.uk - and I will be able to work out how much media the trays would hold.
It looks like a standard upward flow through the trays in that filter so foams and fine pad would be in bottom tray leaving 4? trays for media.
Regards,
Richard
Great video!! Thanks I'm going to set it up. How long will the Biohome Plus go befoer replacement?
All the biohome media should last a good 6-10 years at high efficiency in a well set up filter and the way to tell it is becoming clogged is if you notice nitrate creeping back up (assuming you've used enough to achieve full cycle in the first place). However, if it is clogged and nitrate rises simply bake it in a hot oven for 45-60 minutes to burn off organic matter and give it more years of life. All the media will work in any situation but we make it different sizes and different porosity for different flow rates / types of filters. The biohome ultimate as used in almost all of the canister filter upgrade videos is the most efficient for canister filters.
Another fine job! 👍😀
Hi Richard I have a question, I have a small marine nano tank with Bio Home media in an external filter which works great. I recently purchased a 250 litre tank that i'm going to use with a sump, my question is would it be possible to use Bio Home media in the sump instead of the usual rock rubble or coral sand for nitrate control
Yes, loads of people use the biohome ultimate marine in saltwater tanks instead of live rock. as long as you use between 1.5kg - 2kg per 100 litres for marine systems you should achieve a full cycle but more is always better - you can never have too much surface area available for bacteria.
I've been looking at some of your older videos. I'm new to the hobby, have you ever out fitted a Fluval 406? Thanks for the video's
Not on camera but it is only a matter of time before someone send one up to upgrade.
I fit mine out with bottom tray filter wool and the rest BioHome Ultra Mini.
Thanks Christie for the insight. I would send mine in if I were closer.
He might not like the foams involved, but I simply left all the factory foams (the four white ones that go vertical, and the black coarse foam in the bottom tray) and then filled the rest of the trays with biohome ultimate, like he did here.
If you want more polishing, then put a fine pad on the tray right above the bottom one, and put your biohome right on top of it.
I also kept the white vertical foams. You do need some course filtering and they do a great job.
Hi Pondguru, really enjoy your channel. I have a JBL 401e, if I use the same method as you have used on the 901e would it work the same?
hi im new to fish keeping i have a 4 foot fish tank 233 liters . and not sure what canister filter to get. i have been looking at the eheim pro 4 or the jbl 1902 and the oase biomaster 600. what one would u get . im moving house soon so will be setting up tank after xmas. just getting bits at mo to make a start. thanks
They are all good filters and as long as you get one which is easily big enough for the tank and stock they will all provide excellent quality water. I really like the idea of the removable pre-filter in the Oase biomaster 600 but there are issues with water flow restriction in that section. I recently shot a video on that exact filter (which needs editing for upload) and I added sponges in the pre-filter which are more coarse and also drilled extra holes into the pre-filter intake pipe there to maintain good flow.
Hi.
Can this setup be used on 190L tank with tropical fishes?
Another excellent vid，ever thoughts on pimping an fx6? Interested to see your concept.
Keep these great vids coming.
I have just done one yesterday and need to edit the footage down into something watchable - they are great filters.
Good job !!
Awesome awesome info thanks Richard😁
Can we add 2 carbon filters on the top tray ?
Hey watch these all the time ... waiting to see what u will do with fluval 306 🤞🏻
I know that the videos will probably become quite samey reasonably quickly in this series but it's all about helping people with the individual filters to understand how they work and how they could be made to work more efficiently.
I think someone is sending a 306 or 206 up this week but I can't remember due to the amount which are on the way or already shot. Still to edit down are videos with Eheim ecco 300, juwel internal filter, dennerle hob filter, FX6, JBL 1901, Aqua one 980 trickle filter, Aqua one Moray 700 and I think a couple more filters are due to arrive today, lol
It's costing me a fortune in media and postage but if it helps to create a resource of information for people around the world then it is money well spent since there is a dearth of good information on TH-cam - most video creators are heading down the awfully self-serving vlog route as they get crazy views (and earnings...) and that's not for me at all.
Pondguru thanx I'll look forward to it , have been using home bio media in 306 fluval , but for the life of me I see no reason for the red side course forms they use when water goes into the canister . Been raking my brain on what to do with that bit .. I'm sure u'll come up with something . All the rest of the filter is done by your standard .. so fingers cross u can give us some ideas ... well done for all the information 👍
Yes I'm looking forward to getting one as I have a good idea what to do with that section but I can only say for sure when I get one to play with.
Another GREAT informative video.. thank you
No worries and I'm glad you found it useful.
YOU CAN'T GO WRONG IF YOU LISTEN TO THE PONDGURU......
Ice 100% agree!
where does he buy all the sponges?
What is the best place for purigen?
I freshly own a Cristalfprofi e902 and a 240 Liter aquarium with 7 goldfish.
I do 20% waterchange a week.
For me the e902 is a fine filter, but noisy.
What do you recommend for a silent upgrade?
I was thinking about an Oase 350 or 600.
If you're considering the Oase 600 I'd say save up a bit more and go for the 850 since it easily holds 5kg of media which gives you the 2kg per 100 litres recommended for a heavily stocked tank.
@@pondguru Thank you. What's the most silent option, but still a good filter what you recommend?
Regardless the brand.
Please also recommend the media from your store to use?
@@rdh67dh Most filters will be almost silent unless they are drawing in air from the intake and it is being chopped up by the pump.
I've just uploaded a video which demonstrates where the placement of outlet and intake should be on a normal tank set up. It also shows how air bubbles travel around the tank.
For most of the canister filter videos I use the Biohome Ultimate since it was designed for use in canister filters and has a perfect balance of size and porosity.
@@pondguru Thank you for your advice. I appriciate it and will order the media to use at your Dutch site.👍
@@rdh67dh Good one - I don't know the Dutch Biohome guy but he seems to have a decent set up over there.
Best of luck with the tank.
I want a setup for jbl701 please
Hi, is this the same set-up as the JBL e1501? Also how often should I change the media and the pads?
Yes just the same method of set up but I have just done a video on the 1901 which should give you a better idea of how much media fits in each tray of the 1501 (it is episode 20) - media will last many years and you should get at least 12-18 months use from coarse and medium foam, fine pad would be replaced as necessary as it gets clogged up and can't be cleaned.
Hi Richard, do you know how much biohome ultimate the 702 could hold? Thanks.
Per tray I think it will be the same as this model as the trays seem to be the same size.
Pondguru thank you.
I don't like the design of the seal on the top basket,every time I take off the pump top part seal keeps coming off,and have to refit it on top basket
That is a major bummer - sounds like it needs a new seal?
Yes,I think so, ordered a seal,hopefully will fit ok and then no need to keep replacing it in position
Would you do a fluval 306 or a 2000lph all pond solutions if I sent it to you? I’ll pay p+p both ways. Cheers
I've had a few people say that they will be sending a 306 but so far none have arrived so that is one which could be done. However please send me an email in the middle of next week as I think there may already be one on the way up here. I've got a 2000 lph APS filter here as I've used it in a previous video so that one will be making an appearance in this series.
If you contact me middle of this coming week I will know if there is a 306 coming or not.
Pondguru thanks and will do 👍🏻
Do another astro 2208 canister filter😁😁
thx , this is exactly the information i needed