29 Gallon Tank Additional Filter Media Suggestions?

HI Everyone,

My Aqueon 29 gal deluxe starter kit came with an Aqueon Power 20 filter. After a month, I cut a slit in the cartridge and removed the charcoal, and I've just been cleaning the filter cartridge in old tank water during my weekly 30% water changes. I do have room in the filter for additional media, and I'm just looking for suggestions of what else I could/should put in there to help increase my beneficial bacteria numbers. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Jeff

 

Either a sponge filter media or maybe one of the clay ones like bio rings or biomax?

 

I have biomax and also a filter media pad ( the kind you cut to size ) in my filter. I actually have running the Aqueon 30 with the extra media, along with the Aqueon 55/75. Both are stuffed to the max with filter pads and biomax ( the biomax are for my fluval 6 gallon but I have it in here as backup )
Also to note, I have a 36 gallon and the Aqueon 30 that it came with ( rated at 200gph ) was barely enough filtration - so I ended up getting another hob ( 55/75 ) which is rated at 400gph. I have both running and it seems very efficient.
The Aqueon 20 you are running is pretty limited and probably barely enough filtration. Just a thought in case you upgrade - You probably should be at least running 300-350gph. More if you can

Junne

 

Thank you both for the suggestions! Junne - I've read that my filter will "barely" do the job, so I'm being careful not to overstock (I don't plan on adding any more fish to my current stock). If I were to upgrade my filter, how would I go about it so as not to disrupt my nitrogen cycles?

 

When it comes time for the new filter, you can take the old media out and use it along with the new media for an instant cycle. or you can run two hob filters. Good luck.

Junne

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To upgrade your filter, you would make sure to transfer all the filter media from your current filter into the new one and then add more filter media to fit the upgraded filter size. You would need to make sure that the filteredia do not dry out while being transferred. I upgraded from an in the hood filter to a canister filter and did not loose my cycle, and in general upgrading a filter should not cause cycle issues. However, just to be on the safe side, you would need to carefully monitor / test all your parameters when you upgrade, and be ready to swing into action with daily water changes for a hopefully short while if you experience a mini-cycle after all.

 

Thanks for the help!

Joanna - I think I was posting just as you replied - thank you so much for your help as well!

 

Is your tank cycled? I know I had a heck of a time before I bought my 55/75 hob. It seems with the extra filtration, my ammonia disappeared overnight.

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