# best filter for water polishing



## illusions2281 (Jan 25, 2009)

I have an 85 hex tank and a eheim pro 3e 2078. but i also have roommate that tends to way over feed flake food. I just made the switch to pellets. so we'll see if that helps. with water clearity. My current filter does great dealing with the bio-load. Its been 6 weeks and all levels are low.

but i have been thinking about getting a second filter just to polish the water to make it clearer and increase circulation. Does anyone have any suggestions?


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## edouthirt (Jan 22, 2008)

Are you using carbon in your filter? If so, it might be time to change it out. If not, you could try adding carbon for a month.

I use carbon every couple of months just to clear up the water a bit, but you don't have to over do it.

But to answer your basic question, I use 2 marineland c-360 canisters on my 60 gallon tank, and with intermitten usage of carbon, my water stays crystal clear.


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## clgkag (Mar 22, 2008)

You could also get a H.O.T. Magnum with the polishing cartridge. You can just hang it on the tank every couple of weeks for however long it takes to polish the water.


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## Fishbulb2 (Sep 23, 2008)

Hoenstly, the best polishing filters of all are the Vortex diatom filters. Diatom filters can be a pain and most aren't for continuous duty. However, they really will give you incredible results.

FB


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## JALOOS (Sep 6, 2008)

I have a whole house filter like this










with a pump and I use it continuous on my 150 gallon for polishing. You can then buy various micron size cartiges for it. Works like a hot dam and for 25 bucks or less for the housing how can you go wrong, Beats the **** out of a Magnum H.O.T. filter for price and efficiency.


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## Fishbulb2 (Sep 23, 2008)

What kind of pump do you use for that jaloos. It's basically an RO canister but those are usually run at 65 psi. I always wanted to try what you're doing but never that a typical pump would work.


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## JALOOS (Sep 6, 2008)

Fishbulb2 said:


> What kind of pump do you use for that jaloos. It's basically an RO canister but those are usually run at 65 psi. I always wanted to try what you're doing but never that a typical pump would work.


Its a whole house filter available at most hardware stores for 25 bucks or less. You can get an assortment of different filters from 1 to 35 micron in size as well as carbon filters. You don't need a super poweful pump as you are not using a RO membrane, I use a rio 2100 plummed into a line that comes out of the tank to the filter then back in. If you look you can find a 1 micron filter that is basically cord wrapped around a core, when used up I took the cord off the core now I wrap it with the fiber fil from walmart. Works great and if you need to use charcoal you can get the carbom filters for it and for extra cleaning the 1 micron (although they do not last long b4 plugging up).


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## Fishbulb2 (Sep 23, 2008)

Sounds incredible. i will try this on my next set up for sure. I need to look for a used RO filter system on Craigslist that I can cannibalize. Thanks for the tip.


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## JALOOS (Sep 6, 2008)

Fishbulb2 said:


> Sounds incredible. i will try this on my next set up for sure. I need to look for a used RO filter system on Craigslist that I can cannibalize. Thanks for the tip.


Nooo no need for the RO to canibalize go to hardware store and they have the housings and cartriges cheap.


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## natalie559 (Dec 6, 2007)

What media do you use in your current filter? You could try adding quilt batting to polish the water. I run an emperor 400 in addition to my canister filter for extra mechanical. You can also try pre measuring the fish food into daily pill containers and hiding the extra food from your room mate so that the fish aren't overfed.


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## greg curtis (May 4, 2006)

Try putting some Purigen in a media bag. I use it in all my tanks and it keeps them crystal clear.


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## JALOOS (Sep 6, 2008)

greg curtis said:


> Try putting some Purigen in a media bag. I use it in all my tanks and it keeps them crystal clear.


Kent organic absorption resin works wonders as well, Purigen is re charged with bleach solution isn't it? Kent organic absorbtion resin recharges with a brine (heavily salted water) solution.


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## demonsoni (Feb 10, 2006)

Use a powerhead and stick some batting/floss/sponge around the intake. This works like a beast and most people dont need to buy anything to do it.


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## parkayandbutter (Jan 15, 2008)

Well Vortex Diatom filters are a pain in the Arsce indeed, but they are very much functional to the point of 1 hour your aquarium water will go from a yellow hue to a clear hue guaranteed! I wouldn't run it continuously due to them needing to be flushed out every 3rd day or so. Really it works the best in my experience. You can get diatom at a pool place in bulk for something like 5 yrs supply for $15 rather then spend 15 bucks for 10 uses by Vortex replacement diatom.


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## kodyboy (Dec 9, 2007)

Diatom filters are a pain, but they do make the water sparkling clean in a hurry!  
For a more long-term solution I like canister filters with lots of floss/pads in them like the marineland C series and the rena XP line.


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## gre (Mar 12, 2007)

I would invest in another filter and a power head. Don't wast your money on a polishing filter I already went through it. Good filters and good water movement will give you a clear and polished water in your tank.


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## atomicluck (Mar 26, 2009)

:?

I'm looking to replace an Eheim 2213 with a Rena XP-2, but one thing I can't find out is if you can use a carbon filter/pad with the Rena. Eheim canister filters have pre-formed carbon pads that you can add, but does anyone know if Rena has anything similar?


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## redfish (Nov 30, 2002)

Use the filters you have now and go to walmart and get a huge box of cotton for almost free
and grab a handful and put it a hang on filter, I fill my ac 500 with it and put a bag of seachem 
maxia to hold it down and a big rock on the top cove to hold everything down, when you see
the cotton getting black change it.


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## planenut007 (Mar 21, 2009)

I like that house filter idea, what about the pump $$$, total cost for set up?


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## niccomau (Oct 14, 2008)

purigen is the bomb, I love the stuff!!! :thumb: And I just buy fine filter pads that you can cut and put it in my HOB, works like a charm and it's simple to boot.


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## illusions2281 (Jan 25, 2009)

the house filter sounds cool but i dont have a pump. i went out and bought a marineland 350 magnum. it works great but every 3 days i have to switch out the filter. a little annoying. hopeing they start to last longer.


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## redfish (Nov 30, 2002)

Want a clear tank start by getting rid of half you fish! Or get you a african tiger fish, you have a
red devil that may take care of the problem.


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

redfish said:


> Want a clear tank start by getting rid of half you fish! Or get you a african tiger fish, you have a
> red devil that may take care of the problem.


3 year old thread.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

GTZ said:


> redfish said:
> 
> 
> > Want a clear tank start by getting rid of half you fish! Or get you a african tiger fish, you have a
> ...


Yes...however I found using that whole house filter on page one an interesting idea for water polishing purposes.


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## redfish (Nov 30, 2002)

three years ago, sorry about that didnt know I was away that long I have a whole house filter
its nothing but a pain to clean, got rid of all these filters and bought a 20 long tanks and filled
it full of plants elephant ears, hangin Ivy plant, and the prefilter sock filter filled with pillow stuffing
that the only thing I have to wash out every two weeks never lost a fish since. Set up a sump,
easy to make and make fishs a enjoyable hobbie instead of "I took my tank down, biggest pain
in the @#$%" that I hear all the time. good luck


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## deaver (Apr 23, 2011)

quote]3 year old thread.[/quote]

Not all of us have been her for 3 years and i'm sure there are so many interesting threads that it would take quite awhile to find. Some very interesting points here.

I myself have been using the same magnum 250 since 98', never changed to impellar. It works great, i struck a great deal when walmart cleared out the micron cartridges for 5 bucks each. bought a **** load. used them up in 3 yrs and a bit. usually they shrink around the blue hole and won't fit anymore. I just bought 10 for 11 dollars each (ouch) but thats the cheapest i could find and came with free shipping when i spent 100bucks. They work awesome.

I'd love to hook up a charcoal filter to my laundry tub which services my fish tanks, but i've been waiting on a deal as they go on sale periodically, but thats been a year. i may have to just bite the bullet on that one. Anybody know where to buy online and get the filters fairly cheap?


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