Recent content by JayH

This is not actually true. Oxygen exchange at the surface is the primary way of getting oxygen into the water of most aquariums, but it is definitely not the only way. Air stones or air driven sponge filters will increase the oxygen level in the tank. Some of this is due to additional surface...

Your sponge filter is almost certainly driven by air. The principle here is that air bubbles rising in a constrained column of water will create a current. Generally speaking, the more of them there are, the more even they are distributed through the lift tube, and the farther they rise, the...

The photo of the stacked coarse/fine sponges makes me wonder if anyone has tried hollowing out a coarse sponge and putting a fine sponge in the void. Coarse wrapped around the outside of fine. Might be an issue getting it clean unless the fine sponge slipped out easily, but it seems like a...

Even with a very small filter like that I'd try to use layers of filter media -- coarse sponge, medium sponge, then filter floss. If you don't do that the floss will clog very quickly. Have you considered trying a different sponge filter or modifying the one you have to move more water?

Swiss Tropicals has some sponge filters that, if you check the details on the JetLifters, do specify a GPH, though it's still going to depend on the air flow. In addition to air flow, an issue with any sponge filter that uses an air stone is the air stone blocks the path, slowing the water and...

GE #1 Silicone sealant if you want to go with silicone. Be sure to get the clear. It also comes in white and the packages look very much alike. (Voice of experience here.) You can also use Crazy/Super Glue in any of its forms. There's an aquascaper who does YouTube videos who likes to use...

I think a lot of people buy sponge filters and slip the sponge over the filter intake. These already have holes through the center where the uplift tube would go so it makes the job easier. Expanding on what plecodragon said, in case there's any confusion, squeezing out of the dirty intake...

The micro pores on the bio media can get clogged and they'll become much less effective if that happens. If you put filter foam after the bio media, any muck that it traps will eventually back up into the bio media and start clogging it. Like Asomeone said, you'll be better off putting all the...

Bit of an old and somewhat tired topic, but I've never been clear on exactly what product is being referred to as "pot scrubbies". There are two different types I've seen used and both could be called "pot scrubbies", though the density, and therefore the surface area, of them is quite...

To be clear, the issue is NOT the use of 2x4s. You can use 2x4s to build a very strong and perfectly good stand, if they are used properly. A 2x4 will withstand a very large compression load along its length. You can safely figure 1000 pounds per stud grade 2x4 at 8' length. At the 3' length...

At the risk of stating the intuitively obvious, glass is not wood. The support structure for the bottom of the tank is also different. It's joined on all four edges to other pieces of glass that transfer the load from the bottom all over the place. Compare this to a couple 2x4s supported only on...

I'm not sure I'd trust the numbers from that article. I've read in several places that a 8' 2x4 will safely support 800 pounds vertically. I've not seen numbers for horizontal support, but given this application is using them with the weight passing through the narrowest dimension, I have to...

The thing I would worry about is sag in the 2x4s. They're intended to bear weight along their length, not across the narrowest dimension. For larger tanks you might want to think about using 2x4s on edge with a piece of plywood laid on top and screwed in place to keep the 2x4s aligned. That...

I don't believe you need gravity feed to operate a canister. It just makes it easier to get it primed.

A couple thoughts here. As shown in one of the pictures here you can paint the cinder blocks and dress them up that way. You could also wrap them in some sort of covering. Once they're in place stick some contact paper on the columns to improve the look. If you want a much nicer look, cover them...