How to get rid of those tiny bubbles from HOB filters

WeedCali

WeedCali

Certified Dubhead
Dec 14, 2009
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Adam
As some may know, HOB filters are capable of producing tiny little bubbles that instead of rising to the top, they float around inside your tank making it look like dirty water. I figured out a way to relieve most of these bubbles.

First, cut a length of filter media whether it be quilt batting (in my case, it is) or bonded pads etc. this length will need to be as wide as the spout of your filter and long enough to wedge in between the cartridge to hold it in place. Pretty much what it does is run through the media rather than splashing into your tank.

This is just a small portion of the quilt batting i have.
DSC03596.jpg


youll need to measure how wide your filters spout is. In this case Im using an Aqueon Quiet Flow 30 HOB and the spout is about 4 5/8" wide.

After you have cut your length of media, i recommend you take a lighter and slightly melt the edges of the piece to reduce the number of small fibers released into the water. I also recommend you rinse the media along with this. I know its not cut straight but my scissors suck and its kinda hard to cut this stuff straight.
DSC03598.jpg


And this is the media installed.
DSC03600.jpg


Installed on an AquaClear Mini
DSC03599.jpg


It doesnt stick into the water too much. It actually doesnt stick into the water at all with the AquaClear because it was a lot easier to get it to stay.
DSC03601.jpg


Well, I hope this might come in handy to someone.

:hi:
 
I like it, in theory anyway...

does the batting get gooped up with algae over time?

not that it wouldn't be easy/cheap to toss & replace!
 
I've been doing it for a year (using filter floss instead of batting) for the purpose of decreased turbulence on the water surface. Decreased water agitation = decreased CO2 loss. IMHO. :)
 
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Yeah it gets gunked up but what filter media doesnt? its super cheap anyway :P

I just fed them for the first time after doing this and the food used to get blown around everywhere. now its quite still.
 
Good idea especially for small QT tanks where you don't want the drop off current to bother a sick fish. You might want to use the blue bond instead becasue its reusable and can be used as established media for cycling a new tank. What you will find is by do that you also increase a HOB's mechanical filtering capacity with the benefits of wet/dry bio filtering. In addition you completely eliminate the babaling water noises an HOB make.

Good idea about the bubbles, and good post. :thumbsup:
 
CWO4GUNNER said:
Good idea especially for small QT tanks where you don't want the drop off current to bother a sick fish. You might want to use the blue bond instead becasue its reusable and can be used as established media for cycling a new tank. What you will find is by do that you also increase a HOB's mechanical filtering capacity with the benefits of wet/dry bio filtering. In addition you completely eliminate the babaling water noises an HOB make.

Good idea about the bubbles, and good post. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
I did realize that.

And thank you :)
 
isnt it just as easy to keep your water level high enough so there is no water fall effect from filter splashing in the tank? thats how i do my tanks and have no bubble issues.
 
i actually do. with the Aqueon filter, its like a waterslide shape so even if the water level is right up to it, theres a bunch of bubbles. thats probably my least favorite thing about that filter.
 
That is one of the reason I switch to a canister. My water level was high too, touching the balck rim on top. Now I dont have any bubbles.
 
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