# Best way to utilize spare filter



## belltold12 (Feb 4, 2014)

I have a 75g currently with an Eheim 2215 and an AquaClear 110. I also bought a 29g that came with a Penguin Bio-Wheel 200. I decided I wanted to beef up the 29g and bought that tank an AquaClear 70, hoping it would fit with the 200 as well but the hood wont allow it. Toying with the idea of seeing if a Penguin 100 will fit as well since right now a couple places have them on sale for right around $12. 

So I ended up with the Penguin 200 as a spare. 

I decided since I don't have room for a third tank, and I don't really feel like trying to sell the 200 that I'd just add it to my 75g for the heck of it. So my question is:

This filter has two slots for the "right size" cartridges. Should I go ahead and put a 2nd cartridge in or would I be better off buying a media bag and putting more biomax or similar media to take up the rest of the space? Maybe even ditch the cartridges all together and just do a bag with as much biological media as I can fit without affecting flow? Should I aim for bio, mech, or chemical...or does it matter since this particular unit isn't all that substantial for this size tank?


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## rsskylight04 (Nov 9, 2013)

Hello.
I use an extra filter on my 75g and my aim with that is for max biofiltration. My main filter is fluval110 and the spare is an ancient aquaclear300(now aquaclear70) . 
I don't use the cartridges, instead buy cut-to-fit filterpad and stack layers in the basket of the aquaclear70. The layers of filterpad become home to a second bacteria colony and my ammonia and nitrite has been stable at 0,0 for a long time. I've never tried the biomax or other similar biomedia, but sound interesting....maybe I could increase my biofiltration with it, but the filterpad is also excellent at collecting suspended particles.

So... yeah, I would pack the 200 with as much biomedia as possible and ditch the cartridge. A large bag of Marineland Rite-Size bonded filerpad is avialible at petco for $6.00.


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## cyclesnipas (Sep 8, 2013)

You can use it as a water polisher, packing it with filter floss. Just an idea.


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

I would run carbon in it (rather than in the other filters, adding more biomedia to the other filters), if you use carbon. That will make changing it every few weeks easy.


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## Agent13 (Apr 23, 2013)

I'll just add that where you run carbon makes little difference. It does chemically help things for a bit but then becomes a great home for BB after that . The space to colonize BB on Carbon is really good.. 


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## jaysee (Dec 9, 2009)

No, it's only a matter of convenience. It's much easier to pull it out of an HOB than the canister.


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## Agent13 (Apr 23, 2013)

Ah yes . This is true


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## belltold12 (Feb 4, 2014)

I bought a box of Fluval 500g biomax and tied it up in some cheese cloth. It pretty much takes up most of the space available and I thought I would cram some filter floss where I could but I quickly found myself chasing little hairs with my net all around my tank. Should I put the floss underneath the biomax to keep it in place better? How do you use this stuff without it just flying around all over your tank?


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