# Alternative forms of filter media



## BASSFISHERMAN (Feb 22, 2004)

i have a penguin 300, which is the predecessor to the 330. The thing still works like new, even after running for about 13 years. i got it from my dad. It doesnt have any cartridges or media baskets. All it has are the bio wheels, intake tube, strainer and impeller. nothing else. I know i could put in the generic cartridges but I want to try something new. Maybe cut up pieces of Aquaclear foam to fit? maybe cell-pore? i want to use this filter primarily for bio-filtration. what else could I use???

thanks in advance.


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## Genin (Feb 4, 2003)

what I have done in the past is cut piece of ac300 foam up and put them where the cartiges would go and then I would put ac300 carbin inserts into the holding baskets. i am pretty sure i used to put ac300 stuff in there, it may have been ac125 or whatever.


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## BASSFISHERMAN (Feb 22, 2004)

bump


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## mshaughnessy (Sep 22, 2003)

I have put the stuffing from a synthetic pillow in the filter. It is a fibrous plastic, kind of like hair. It is nice because you can make it any shape or size, it doesn't get clogged up and the bacteria grow. But it might get caught in the impeller; I never had this problem but it is possible.


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## hle_81 (Dec 3, 2003)

i just stuff my penguin filters w/ ac sponges & biomax. i don't use the bio-wheels since they always stop spinning after a while.


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## BASSFISHERMAN (Feb 22, 2004)

hle_81 said:


> i just stuff my penguin filters w/ ac sponges & biomax. i don't use the bio-wheels since they always stop spinning after a while.


 when they stop spinning, you need to clean the bearings


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## chiefkyle (May 3, 2004)

hle_81 said:


> i just stuff my penguin filters w/ ac sponges & biomax. i don't use the bio-wheels since they always stop spinning after a while.


 They stop for several reasons:

1. The Filter Media is clogged, thus less water flow. (Lift them (filters) slightly to allow water to flow past, if the wheels move, the media is clogged.)

2. The water flow is too low. Check the impeller for debries, and make sure the intake tube is properly assembled to the impeller and pressed all the way down.

3. The Bearings in the wheels are froze. Buy new Wheel assemblies. Cheap.

4. The most importain thing about bio-wheels are that they are not suppossed to move fast after they have completly soaked with water. (Read the manufacturers booklet.)

on to the subject.......


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## chiefkyle (May 3, 2004)

Best way to make your own media is this.

Buy some Aquaclear bio-bags. Fill them with whatever type of media you want. (Best to use is Carbon and/or Carbon-White Diomond Mix.) Install them in your filter, and your good.


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## chiefkyle (May 3, 2004)

http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/parent..._id=1965;pcid1=

Here is some media you can add to your filter. Making you own filter media gives you limitless possibilities.


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## BASSFISHERMAN (Feb 22, 2004)

Thanks for the info.

one question: if i use the AC bags, wont the water by-pass them because it is not forced to go through them? i'm looking for something i can stick in my filter that will force the water to go through the media. Or just some way of sticking some bio or mech media directly into the filter, and having the water flow through it.


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## BASSFISHERMAN (Feb 22, 2004)

i think i have an idea of how i will do this. It will be a solely bio filter. these are the steps.

1. Get two generic penguin cartridges and rip off the blue stuff. then place them in the slots in the filter. this will prevent the bio media from touching the wheels.

2. Now, technically i could fill the entire gap where the media basket is supposed to be with a bio media (all the way up to the bottom of the bio wheels) but the problem is that the media will fall over into the impeller area when it gets that high up.

3. to resolve this i would take a third penguin cartridge and cut pieces of the black plastic (the part with holes) to fit perfectly over the slot where the water comes out of the impeller area on both sides of the filter.

4. Now I would fill the filter with something like ceramic rings.

5. Just so there is still a bit of mech filtration, I could take two AC 200 sponges and stuff them into the impeller area. this way the bio media wont get as dirty, and these sponges would be really easy to clean since they slide right out.

How does my idea sound?


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## BASSFISHERMAN (Feb 22, 2004)

bump


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## BASSFISHERMAN (Feb 22, 2004)

bump


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## BASSFISHERMAN (Feb 22, 2004)

bump 3


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## BASSFISHERMAN (Feb 22, 2004)

just an update:

i did exactly what i said i would do (in my previous post), using pond bio media because it was cheap and the filter runs great! There is lots of water flowing over the bio media in my ancient Penguin filter.


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## EZ_Ian (Feb 21, 2004)

sounds like a success


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