So as many of you already know, Top Fin does not make the highest quality filter, but they come in all of the starter kits you buy at Petsma*t. Well, I bought one of these kits (a 15 gallon) along with an AC30, but wanted to try to use the Top Fin filter as well. However, I realized that I would have to overcome many of the problems that others (including myself with a previous Top Fin filter) have faced.
The 1st step was reducing the noise of the filter. Because this tank is in my bedroom, I needed this filter to be as quiet as possible so that I could sleep without headaches from the filter. Unfortunately the Top Fin is a bit louder than my AC30 (which as many here know, is as close to silent as HOB filters can be), so it was tough competition. I noticed however that if I removed the lid that came with the filter and replaced it with the top of my AC30 filter, the Top Fin filter was nearly silent.
The next step was to find a more efficient media for the tank than the pads that are provided. Luckily, the Top Fin filters run on the larger side, so there is plenty of room for different media. I had a couple sponges kept as extras for my AC30, and realized that these were a perfect fit for the Top Fin filter, so I placed them in there. When I placed one on top of the other horizontally however, there was still some water running over the top of the last sponge, so instead, I placed 1 sponge on the bottom horizontally and 3 sponges vertically on top of that.
So instead of going out and having to buy another filter in addition to the AC30, I tinkered with the filter given to me and made it work out very well. I turned an average filter into a filter that is just as quiet as my AC30 and a mechanical filtering powerhouse. I decided to go all mechanical, but there is plenty of room for biological or chemical filtration instead of going all mechanical. While it may not be much money saved because of the size of the aquarium ($15-$25 I think), in situations with larger tanks, this can save someone $40+ (more money spent on your actual fish!) And now for some pics:
The 1st step was reducing the noise of the filter. Because this tank is in my bedroom, I needed this filter to be as quiet as possible so that I could sleep without headaches from the filter. Unfortunately the Top Fin is a bit louder than my AC30 (which as many here know, is as close to silent as HOB filters can be), so it was tough competition. I noticed however that if I removed the lid that came with the filter and replaced it with the top of my AC30 filter, the Top Fin filter was nearly silent.
The next step was to find a more efficient media for the tank than the pads that are provided. Luckily, the Top Fin filters run on the larger side, so there is plenty of room for different media. I had a couple sponges kept as extras for my AC30, and realized that these were a perfect fit for the Top Fin filter, so I placed them in there. When I placed one on top of the other horizontally however, there was still some water running over the top of the last sponge, so instead, I placed 1 sponge on the bottom horizontally and 3 sponges vertically on top of that.
So instead of going out and having to buy another filter in addition to the AC30, I tinkered with the filter given to me and made it work out very well. I turned an average filter into a filter that is just as quiet as my AC30 and a mechanical filtering powerhouse. I decided to go all mechanical, but there is plenty of room for biological or chemical filtration instead of going all mechanical. While it may not be much money saved because of the size of the aquarium ($15-$25 I think), in situations with larger tanks, this can save someone $40+ (more money spent on your actual fish!) And now for some pics:
The smallest filters will just have a sponge. If there is more room, I use a sponge and a Biomax insert on top. If they are very spacious, I might add a little bag of carbon (sometimes for a quickie disposable carbon option, I will rubberband a tight little pouch made of a white paper towel with some carbon pellets in there - lasts a surprisingly long time!) or some filter floss. Whenever possible, I like to use "rolled" filter floss rather than the big loose puffs of pillow batting.
