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Large filter media bag


BaZ

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wouldnt the zipper (rust) on the washing bags be a problem? especially seeing as people add salts in the water! thats whats worried me about using them

the zipper like every thing else these days is plastic so check it out.if you can not

tell the differece use a magnet and see if it grabs it if it doe's, it's steel.

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Sounds like a great idea Merjo but you lost me when you said

grab the sewing machine

Sorry forget who I was addressing...let me try again...

Ask your better half to grab the sewing machine.... tongue.gif

Andrea smile.gif

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Call me a rebel, but why do you need a bag? It is not like it is going to float away...

If you are concerned about it creeping down towards the inlet back to your pump, just put a low baffle into the sump attached to the bottom, and use it like a dam wall.

I have never liked the idea of using a bag to contain the buffering media as, as good and open as the weave will be, water being water will take the easiest rout, and most of it will go around the bag, which will reduce the amount of water contact with the buffering media when compared to it just being spread out on the bottom.

I'm not saying your tank's water won't be affected by the media in a bag, only that it doesn't have to go in a bag, and there are advantages for it not to.

I know there will be some cases where a media bag really is required, for example inside a cannister (but inside here it can be spread out, and all the water will be forced to pass through it), and I expect in some sumps an extra baffle may not be practical for some reason, but if you can improve the water's contact with the media, that must be better.

Craig

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I don't know about you Craig but if you have ever had to pull a mini reef down for any reason you will know the advantages of having the media in a bag. Its pain to have to pick out all those small bits of matrix I know from experience. dry.gif

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I'm thinking along the same lines as Nigel (are you as surprised as me Nigel? tongue.gif ) in that it will be much easier to remove for cleaning or if I decide to change my buffering material.

The way this sump is designed, I will be able to place the bag in a spot which should help to force some water through it.

I've just had confirmation from Ben at Age of Aquariums. He can supply media bags at a nice 40x20cm size and they are only $4 each bigsmile.gif so it looks like my search is over.

Thanks for all your feedback and suggestions.

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i use those washing bags too, i just cut out the zipper i do have a sewing machine but no time to sew, it still holds it all in place and most supermarkets sell them for $2

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Baz and Nigel,

Not having a go at either of you, but Nigel, if you use that rational to not put some form of loose substrate or biomedia into a sump because it is hard to clean out, we would also never put any substrate into fish tank. They would have to be cleaned out or moved or whatever at some point in time, as a sump may do. It is not difficult to do, just siphon it out if the stuff is really small, or use a dustpan to scoop it out.

I agree that there are advantages to keeping media in a bag in a sump, and you can’t really draw a parallel between this and a substrate in a tank due to the aesthetic values we have for the tank which will not apply with the sump. The point I am making is, you can clean out a tank’s substrate, and the difficulties that may be involved in doing this don’t even come into the equation when you are putting a substrate into a tank. If you know what I mean?

So from this I don’t see it as a valid reason as to wether we put a media loose into a sump or not, dependant on its ease of removal if one has to strip out the sump.

If you want to remove it for cleaning, just give it a gravel type clean. Turn the pump off, stir the crap out of the substance, clear a hole to the glass in one corner, and siphon out as much water as you can. Yes it will be easier to simply lift the media out if it is in a bag, but that doesn’t mean the rest of the sump will not still need cleaning!

You are welcome to put your media into a bag. I just wanted to raise the point that you don’t really need a bag in situation where the media is contained in the sump anyway.

I believe the increased surface area contact gained by having it loose outweighs any extra labour issue that may arise if I decide I need to clean out my sump.

I thought the laundry bag was a good idea though, provided the zip is plastic.

Craig

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Not having a go at either of you, but Nigel, if you use that rational to not put some form of loose substrate or biomedia into a sump because it is hard to clean out, we would also never put any substrate into fish tank. They would have to be cleaned out or moved or whatever at some point in time, as a sump may do. It is not difficult to do, just siphon it out if the stuff is really small, or use a dustpan to scoop it out

I am not real big on substrate in my tanks either Craig so I guess I am just lazy. LOL.gif

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What's wrong with the old onion bag net from the fruit shop they usually will give you a metre or two off the roll . Just tie a knot at one end fill and tie the other when full and it doesn't impede the flow at all.

Neil

Should read the start of the post, I thought you were putting matrix in the bag Ops

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