polish the water?

Question

Hi has anyone uses theses filters? for polishing the water.
I here you can use them for short times only 1day every month for 5 hours keeps the water clean.

Answer 1

The person is asking about a diatom filter, which isn't seen that much in the hobby anymore (but they are still around). See his followup question: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071019150839AALpNyz&r=w&pa=FZptHWf.BGRX3OFMiDZdVCWl0KN2NCtbIBk5fnVzf4LdG2S7bo.PWq.QxJI9wwOxKvy6Ta3XxECT6ikz8Q--&paid=answered#TJEvXWHuVjiPdq_vEnO4CFUNkgbZREnlEBpUnTPHpU57jJZ.gPoZ

As a supplementary filter, this can be run for just a few hours a day, or fulltime. If run full time, however, they can destroy much of the microscopic life (those that eat the decaying debris and make it smaller for the nitrifying bacteria to porocess), so it's best if you limit the amount of time they're in use.

Answer 2

If you are referring to Fluval Water Polishing pads, then yes I've used them. The whole water polishing thing is a bunch of hooey. Essentially, it's a marketing gimmick. Most conceptualize crystal clear water as the hallmark of a perfect tank! Crystal clear water can be just as unhealthy as cloudy water.

The Fluval Polishing pads are not good or bad. Simply, they are a very dense filter medium (the pores are tiny and there's lots of them). I bought them out of curiosity mostly. It's pretty useless stuff (for me, I keep goldfish mainly). There are many reasons why I wouldn't recommend using this stuff to "polish" your water. 1) They're expensive and don't do much other than provide a false sense of security about your water quality. 2) Fish tanks aren't cars in that you don't need to pay extra for the "clear coat" 3) Beneficial bacteria may be depleted somewhat as you'll be replacing these pads often if you decide to use them 4) They're really only designed to fit Fluvals canisters and they're a pain to resize. These are just a few off the top of my head.

The reason you must use these pads for only a day or two before changing is because they quickly become dirty. To be frank, these things are about as useful as teets on a bull!

As long as you are performing water changes and maintaining you tank adequately, save your money.

*** To clear up any confusion, you don't actually turn off the filter to use this media. You use them in the cannister/box and replace about every 24 hours.

Answer 3

Its a good thing to use while you are vacuuming your gravel, it takes out the finer particles that don't get caught in the regular filter. Its not to be used all the time, although you can run two filters, over filtering is better than under filtering as long as you have one regular filter media running. For those misinformed people, you don't turn off the filter and not use it, its another piece you swap out with the regular media for a while. Then replace the regular media. Of course no one will tell you to turn off your filter and use it once in a while...

Answer 4

Impossible, after you turn off the filter in matter of minutes the fish will produce more waste, filter needs to run 24/7 no exceptions. If you do turn it off the bacteria in the filter will die, causing your tank to mini cycle.

Answer 5

Ive never heard of it but i already know its BS. You cant surpress the ammonia levels without a filter (keeping them on the low) unless you do a 100% water change every time you do one.

Answer 6

Lies, all lies!

what idiot told you that!?!?!

I agree with the guy above