12 Gallon Aquapod OWNERS! Filter Methods Used? What's in YOUR CHAMBERS?

[saltman123]

This topic has been covered many times, and it seems like everyone has their own little recipe of what to keep in the 4 chambers in the 12 gallon Aquapod.

I personally have been using:
Chamber 1 = Filter Floss
Chamber 2 = Live Rock Rubble
Chamber 3 = Chemi-pure but not always
Chamber 4 = Heater and Maxi-Jet 900

I have even done without the Chemi-pure and have run without any true purchased media other than filter floss. My tank is doing superb and has zero chemicals involved. Anyone else running 100% natural like that successfully? I plan to get Chemi-pure and carbon back into chamber 3.

I have heard of people running Carbon, Phos-Ban, Chemi-Pure, and other various medias.

WHAT DO YOU RUN SUCCESSFULLY?

 

[ezcompany]

chamber 1 maxijet 1200 for remora
chamber 2 maxijet return with liverock
chamber 3 aquac 20 hob filter with phosphate remover and carbon
chamber 4 heater and liverock. baffle between 3 and 4 cut at the top to prevent surface scum build up in chamber 4.
stock pump running (too lazy to change and works fine)

 

[ENraged]

I have a bit of live rock and some cheato and thats pretty much it.
I have been noticing a bit of the good old red slime showing up so i think i am going to toss in my purigen and phos-ban pretty soon that would be chamber 3 for those.

 

[momentumfoto]

I am using live rock in the bottom, a bag of seramic cubes on top of that with a charcol bag on top.

I also have a skimmer that is working killer!

<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a37/momentumfoto/JB7333.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a>

 

[macperry]

ezcompany: are you running the AP 24g topless? How do you fit a Remora skimmer in chamber #1?

 

[macperry]

AquaPod 12g

Chamber 1: PolyFilter, MiniJet 404 with HydorFlo on modded return
Chamber 2: pump for Sapphire skimmer
Chamber 3: Sapphire skimmer body
Chamber 4: MJ900 with a Y connector and 2 duckbills

 

[ezcompany]

oops, forgot to say this is on a 12 gallon aquapod.
my 24 gallon aquapod is different. deltec mce300 at the right, hob filter at the left.

 

[saltman123]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9126764#post9126764 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by macperry
AquaPod 12g

Chamber 1: PolyFilter, MiniJet 404 with HydorFlo on modded return

Have you had good luck with the PolyFilter? I used one for a while and it seemed to be working well. Let me know your experience and if you recommend them.

 

[smac]

I have nothing in the back and except for the occasional creeping green carpet have no problems. Just a pump and a heater for me. One of these days I'll try the chemi-pure type stuff to see if alleviates some of the algae but it's a low priority and until then I'll just keep it simple. About a year running.
Pic:

 

[saltman123]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9130346#post9130346 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by smac
I have nothing in the back and except for the occasional creeping green carpet have no problems. Just a pump and a heater for me. One of these days I'll try the chemi-pure type stuff to see if alleviates some of the algae but it's a low priority and until then I'll just keep it simple. About a year running.
Pic:

I too am running 100% natural for about 2+ months now.

I am starting to get some light reddish algae on my back wall so that is why I am considering running something again.

AWESOME TANK!!

 

[laserjim]

If you put just floss in chamber 1 ,what keeps it from getting sucked into chamber 2? What do you put a huge amount in?

 

[saltman123]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9135660#post9135660 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by laserjim
If you put just floss in chamber 1 ,what keeps it from getting sucked into chamber 2? What do you put a huge amount in?

I put a decent chunk, but nowhere near fill it.

Instead, I cut a 1 inch piece of the original sponge and leave it at the very bottom.

 

[macperry]

saltman123: IMO PolyFilter is the best stuff I have ever used. It will actually turn specific colors as it filters out various contaminants. Hopefully you never have to see that though. I just replace mine when it turns all brown and grungy.

laserjim: On the AP12g chamber 1 is not connected in any way to chambers 2 or 3. The only way to get something sucked into chamber 2 would be over the partition. Chamber 1 flows under 2 & 3 into 4.

ezcompany: Where is the skimmer body for the Remora? Is it a HOB? If so....how do you close the hood on a 12g AP?

 

[laserjim]

macperry, here is a diagram of the chambers as you look from the rear of the tank. The water flows from chamber 1 into 2 over 2 into 3 and down into 4.So if the foam block isnt in place the floss may get sucked into chamber 2.THis pic is from the manual that came with mine.I have verified it.Hope the link worked.Its in my gallery.









http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/139620File0013__Medium_.jpg

 

[macperry]

laserjim: It depends on when your tank was built. For some reason Current USA changed the design about 9 mos ago. I learned about this the hard way. I am working with Kyle over at Sapphire Aquatics to try and find a way to make a skimmer work in the "new" AP 12g, and still be able to close the hood with no mods. My chambers definitely flow the way I described.

 

[laserjim]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9136481#post9136481 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by macperry
laserjim: It depends on when your tank was built. For some reason Current USA changed the design about 9 mos ago. I learned about this the hard way. I am working with Kyle over at Sapphire Aquatics to try and find a way to make a skimmer work in the "new" AP 12g, and still be able to close the hood with no mods. My chambers definitely flow the way I described.

Strange, how does the water get into chambers 2 and 3 ?

 

[saltman123]

I was under the impression that my 12 AP is flowing the way the diagram states.

Chamber 1 flows into the bottom of chamber 2. Chamber 2 flows over and into chamber 3. Chamber 3 flows into the bottom of chamber 4. My thought was that the space under chamber 4 that leads under chamber 2 and 3 was a safety area incase there isn't enough flow and the pump is in there with a risk of it burning out.

Interesting though. I wonder if there are different formats. The one in the diagram seems to make the most sense, or else chamber 2 and 3 are ideally eliminated if the water is going directly from 1 to 4.

 

[laserjim]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9136689#post9136689 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by saltman123
I was under the impression that my 12 AP is flowing the way the diagram states.

Chamber 1 flows into the bottom of chamber 2. Chamber 2 flows over and into chamber 3. Chamber 3 flows into the bottom of chamber 4. My thought was that the space under chamber 4 that leads under chamber 2 and 3 was a safety area incase there isn't enough flow and the pump is in there with a risk of it burning out.

Interesting though. I wonder if there are different formats. The one in the diagram seems to make the most sense, or else chamber 2 and 3 are ideally eliminated if the water is going directly from 1 to 4.

I agree ...I looked on Currents web site and they have only one manual,and its the diagram I showed.Ithought I had the new tank. ???????

 

[chrisstie]

I use a pura pad and a little bit of LR rubble.. weekly water changes and the tank is a breeze

 

[macperry]

saltman and laserjim: My bad...you guys are righ. There is a slit under the partition of chamber 1 & 2 that feeds 2. 2 flows over the partition into 3. There is a slit at the bottom of the partition in 3 that feeds 4. There is basically dead space under 2 & 3 where some serious nitrates can build up. We were trying to figure a way to run an intake tube under the floor of 2 & 3 from the pump in 4 to force more flow under the floor, and increase pull into the intake grates on chamber 1. It's so damn tight in 4, that getting any kind of elbow with an intake tube AND the pump to fit has turned out to be just about impossible. Right now I am running a MJ900 instead of the POS that came stock with the tank. Any ideas???