Am I washing away the good fertilizer stuff if I rinse the dust out this till it runs clear? Or does it leach out from the rock substrate?
651074
Yes you are....Just take out the Flourite and throw it away....Buy Eco-Complete....
651075
Definitely rinse it out or you'll get a black film on everything in the aquarium. I've tried it both ways and rinsing is definitely the way to go. Also all the good stuff is in every bit of the sand so no worries about losing anything important. I think this is the best substrate I've ever had it looks great and the Cory cats and other fish love to play in it. Good luck with set up.
235214
No, the dirt is supposed to be tapped out of the filter into the garbage. To quote the owner's manual it states (in capital letters) "DO NOT RINSE OR WASH THE FILTER MADE WITH HEPA MEDIA".
1143082
If your fertilizer is dry you shouldn't really have any build up. My hand held spreader (hand crank) didn't last long enough before it twisted off for any build up. It did get fertilizer dust but no issues with build up.
1143081
Always clean the spreader after use to maintain it. Spray water inside of the hopper to clean it. Rinse all granules out of the hopper and away from the shutoff opening. Allow the spreader to dry in the sun, if possible, before storing.
1474775
No, just sediment. Just like you couldn't run salt water thru it and get fresh water. The minerals are dissolved into the water and require a conditioner with lots of media and surface area. This is what I have to remove dissolved iron, manganese, and calcium. Expect to spend $1K-$2K + install. The media will last 4-6 years and they auto back flush themselves.
117468
I find any fertilizer that dissolves completely works fine. The key is to be sure there are no granules that can get lodged in the hose. You can use a paint straining bag that you buy at Home Depot to fit in a 5 gallon bucket to strain out any small particles. Be sure to rinse in between uses to avoid residue build up.
1215861
I have not used it with fertilizer yet, only salting for the winter...had no problems there....
171970
Do not reuse the granules for any reason or after any treatment.... I have one florida redbelly water turtle in a 60 gal setup... I change my media in rotations to avoid any tank shock or jump or fall in pH... Typically, I change the ammonia remover granules at the same time as the ZeoCarb media about once every 5-6 weeks depending on observable water changes and or pH level change. Hope this helps... Sarah Baker
1272145
I did not empty the soil but I did cover it for the winter. I added fresh soil to get it ready for my spring planting. Good luck!
1046610
According to manufacture ....yes....I just rinse mine out and reuse.... but in my salt tank I also have A LOT of live rock and plants that help to...
1143083
Yes, wash it. Lime pellets, iron fertzr (for moss) and the like can really gum up the works. Regular fertzr takes longer to gum up. I wash virtually every time.
1381692
There is a sub-pump inside, and it pulls the water through the rocks. The sub-pump is very small though, and should not be your only source of filtration. (...especially a smaller tank with several fish or a turtle..) This system is more or less a biological filtration system. ..ie... good bactetia growing on the rocks, to convert harmful amonia. In addition, it's not very tall at all, and your water level will be low. I set mine up in a 55 gallon, and my water level was only half-full. It's just not a very practicle system, and your better off with a canister system, either outside or an in-your tank system. Even a large waterfall filter would be better. Hope this helps.
659908
Nothing to speak of. If you have sediment, mud, or leaves in your runoff then it will need to be cleaned out very infrequently. Make sure you place it in soil that drains; it won't work in southern red clay. -Ryan
1278610
I use it every week, and wash the filter bags after every usage....Its main purpose is getting rid of fine silt at the bottom, and it has done its job well. I am very satisfied with NE3285F, and give it a 4-star rating.....Rams
477293
From what I've read and what I've experienced,the fertilization/nutritional aspect of the substrates depletes with time as your plants use it. How long it takes depends on how dense your aquarium is planted. My lightly planted tank last about 6 months. Just be careful with it because can change your water parameters if you get a bad batch. If you see any white specs or rocks, Do Not Use it. See my review for more info.
980094
I just bought this and tried it today. We have lots of rocks - big, little, and large sizes. Soil is sandy/loamy like. Yes it drags up rocks that are close to the surface. No way around it. Even using the smooth side... still brings up rocks. I gather if one continues to use it, eventually maybe no more rocks?
697766
Yes. The substrate is made of small granuals though not as small as sand. It also contains ALOT of silt. I would recommend rinsing until the water runs clear... You will be glad you did.