Purpose of prefilter
Purpose of prefilter
I'm wondering, what's the main goal of a prefilter - is it just to stop debris from getting into the filter, or is it also there to prevent fish from getting sucked in, or is it a bit of both?
Re: Purpose of prefilter
Re: Purpose of prefilter
Originally posted by dynamo
I am curious the purpose of a prefilter? is it solely to prevent intake of waste into the filter or is it to prevent fish from being sucked onto the intake or both?
The primary function of a prefilter is to prevent debris and waste from entering the filter. This is crucial because when the beneficial bacteria responsible for denitrification are covered in waste, oxygen levels become limited and denitrification rates decrease. As for fish getting sucked in, that's not typically a concern - healthy fish, regardless of their size, won't get pulled into the intake.
Originally posted by dynamo
I am curious the purpose of a prefilter? is it solely to prevent intake of waste into the filter or is it to prevent fish from being sucked onto the intake or both?
The primary function of a prefilter is to prevent debris and waste from entering the filter. This is crucial because when the beneficial bacteria responsible for denitrification are covered in waste, oxygen levels become limited and denitrification rates decrease. As for fish getting sucked in, that's not typically a concern - healthy fish, regardless of their size, won't get pulled into the intake.
Re: Purpose of prefilter
Re: Purpose of prefilter
I get it now, makes sense that waste in the filter would slow down denitrification. Discus are messy, I know that, but I'm still not sure if a prefilter is necessary - wouldn't regular cleaning do the trick? I'm planning to run an FX4 and I know I need a prefilter, but I'm having trouble finding one. ATI used to make a good one, but it's nowhere to be found now. Any suggestions?
I get it now, makes sense that waste in the filter would slow down denitrification. Discus are messy, I know that, but I'm still not sure if a prefilter is necessary - wouldn't regular cleaning do the trick? I'm planning to run an FX4 and I know I need a prefilter, but I'm having trouble finding one. ATI used to make a good one, but it's nowhere to be found now. Any suggestions?
Re: Purpose of prefilter
Re: Purpose of prefilter
A prefilter isn't strictly necessary, but it'd definitely help your FX4 run at its best. I've found that a sponge works great as a prefilter material. You can either buy a pre-made one or just use a regular sponge with coarse pores - it's easy to make a hole in one and use it. This way, you'll maintain a good flow rate. I used to use canister filters, but I've moved away from them since cleaning them can be a real pain, and the longer you use them, the longer the cleaning intervals get.
A prefilter isn't strictly necessary, but it'd definitely help your FX4 run at its best. I've found that a sponge works great as a prefilter material. You can either buy a pre-made one or just use a regular sponge with coarse pores - it's easy to make a hole in one and use it. This way, you'll maintain a good flow rate. I used to use canister filters, but I've moved away from them since cleaning them can be a real pain, and the longer you use them, the longer the cleaning intervals get.
Re: Purpose of prefilter
Re: Purpose of prefilter
I'm not a fan of canister filters, but this one was a steal - three months old and only 80 bucks, so I figured I'd give it a shot.
I'm not a fan of canister filters, but this one was a steal - three months old and only 80 bucks, so I figured I'd give it a shot.
Re: Purpose of prefilter
Re: Purpose of prefilter
I came across a prefilter kit for the FX4 by RiverGuide that might interest you. It's available on Amazon and seems like a good option.
I came across a prefilter kit for the FX4 by RiverGuide that might interest you. It's available on Amazon and seems like a good option.