Could These KILL YOUR FISH? | Pot Scrubbers as Bio Media

[@HalfManHalfCichlid]

I have used sponges and pot scrubbies exclusively for at least 10 years with great success. I always let them soak overnight and no problem with them breaking down. I am an aquarist who had been using ceramic type media and lava rick previously for 25 years. I destroyed at least two magnetic drive cannisters and two pumps from the breakdown of ceramic media and the fine particles that gets into the mag drive pumps and wear down the impellers and the hole they fit into in the motor.

[@CichlidCharmer]

That’s good to know! Nice to hear from a KZbin celebrity, halfman halfcichlid 😀

[@mediscusnut7994]

interesting to hear that , because a few years back, I installed a new filter and used the ceramic media provided ,which i normally change out. They were a very good porosity type white ball i dip tested a few before giving them a go. After about 6 weeks i noticed a scale type build up ,almost like tiny icicles tips building up where water leaves my spray bar. the water also appeared to very slightly cloudy ,not much, but just enough to check the filter. The first mm of the media was nearly mush ,crumbling between my fingers. Also worth saying ,the centres were still white ,indicating to me ,bacteria etc, would not have fully been able to saturate the media at all anyway. not all ceramic media is as poor as this particular one supplied with the filter just swap out the ceramics if your not sure of it to begin with.DO your home work first, on good ceramic media,..... if that is your preference there are good robust ceramics out there .i took a chance to test this one out.NO harm done this time. there are loads of channels ,such as ( Pond Guru), apart from his own media he has a good series on nearly every filter on the market ,it includes set up ,flow direction ,the media supplied GOOD OR BAD especially.... ,your own decision in the end. A good reference to have when buying a new filter. BUT I 100 percent agree with you (Half man Half cichlid ) there is some really poor ceramics out there flooding the market that will damage your filter long term I am not against the use of ceramics just use a good one .ALL THE BEST and good luck and health.

[@Eswarr]

So is lava rock bad?

[@rajadey4919]

​@@mediscusnut7994Is Siporax ( sintered glass ) from Sera and Marine pure block ceramic media good? Also what about Biohome?

[@rantsandreviews]

I have used pot scrubbers and foam exclusively in my canisters for over a decade. No issues at all. In testing they have been proven to be far more efficient than ceramic and/or sintered glass media including Bio Home which is one of the least effective medias available while also being the most expensive.

[@CichlidCharmer]

Good to know! No problems so far here either so far. Should be finished converting soon, except for one tray of matrix.

[@miroslavivanov7220]

it's true

[@ricksfish9497]

I have been using pot scrubbers ever since the fx5 came out to try and save money on ceramic rings. They worked great. Now all I use is poret foam and pot scrubbers in my sump

[@CichlidCharmer]

Working great!

[@rezaalanshari1587]

I'm using pot scrubber because my HOB filter don't have space for a lot of lava rocks.. While this thing are way more flexible than that.. I'm started to using it and works great

[@GamingVulture75]

I use pot scrubbers in the first chamber of my sump filter (where the water flows into the sump from the aquarium) and they work great! They are useful for both mechanical and biological filtration and I haven’t had any problems using them. Plus, as you pointed out in your video, pot scrubbers are very inexpensive to use.

[@CichlidCharmer]

Glad it’s working for you, SOMA! I love doing good things for my fish, and I truly believe this is a good thing.

[@VroomvroomNY]

Ive used these for almost 2 decades with great success. If you go into dollar generals dollar isle its 6 for a dollar.

[@SouthBayFamily]

Hell yeah

[@nicogall.8351]

Hi. Very good channel! Can you tell me more? Where to buy them this scrubbers? Is it true that they get clogged after many weeks? Do they act as both a biological and mechanical filter? Thanks in advance

[@CichlidCharmer]

Thank you! I just bought mine at the Dollar Store. Very inexpensive. They do get clogged after a while so you have to gently clean them to release some of the muck, but not all of it. That muck is actually good. It holds beneficial bacteria. They only serve as bio media. Thanks for asking!

[@MHolt-t6y]

Foam is plastic and so is the [wool] in the filters

[@CichlidCharmer]

Right, lol!

[@miroslavivanov7220]

Everything you said is the absolutely true!👏👏I will subscribe to your channel!

[@CichlidCharmer]

I appreciate that!!

[@Endtimescoming]

I don't use them in my aquariums much accept to start a cycle but I do have a WHOLE lot of them as the biomedia in my koi pond. They work great and as stated when I want to start a new tank I grab a few of them throw them in the filter and we are off to the races.

[@miroslavivanov7220]

The ceramic rings, Matrix, Biohome, this is a big lie

[@Eswarr]

Are these better than lava rocks?

[@CichlidCharmer]

Lava rocks are great, too. I read about these pot scrubbers on a bit of a controversial site and figured I would give them a try. So far they are working great - no problems with bacteria and I feel like I am seeing a slight bit more clarity in the water. It’s marginal though.

[@n_bjjkk]

could i l add both purigen and sachem matrix into my filter?

[@CichlidCharmer]

Yes.

[@n_bjjkk]

@@CichlidCharmer ty

[@angksehwjs]

안녕하세요 궁금한게 있습니다. 수세미 그것은 박테리아가 씻기는 위험이ㅠ있으므로 세척하지않아도 되나요? 현재는 어떤 상태이신가요 좋나요?

[@CichlidCharmer]

You just need to rinse them lightly if they get too clogged with muck.

[@angksehwjs]

​@@CichlidCharmerThank you very much for your answer ♥ I bought it after watching this video Do you think this is better than other fish tank's advanced filtration filters if you still use it?I'm also curious about the reviews.. Your videos are currently popular in Korea.

[@CichlidCharmer]

@@angksehwjs I do like them, but honestly, I think you'll probably find that if you're using the right amount of coarse and fine sponges along with the proper amount of whatever bio media you're using, you'll probably have great results. You can even use things like rinsed lava rock for your bio media. Super cheap where I'm from. Thank you for watching from Korea!

[@angksehwjs]

​@@CichlidCharmer정말 감사해요 ❤❤❤❤

[@angksehwjs]

​@@CichlidCharmer당신은 영웅입니다

[@stevel4997]

Interesting and informative post and Thank You. I've been using these for over 30 years with double HOB's on a 125g Mbuna tank and others. One compartment is stuffed with the pot scrubbers and the other side has sponge media. Every water change (30 percent monthly) I pull the scrubbers out and put them in a bowl and rinse the sponge media only and put everything back in. About every six months, I'll rinse out only half of the scrubbers and replace the (secret) sponge media. With a lot of trial and error over the years, and depending on how hard ( how many) scrubbers you stuff in, you also get the benefit of mechanical filtration too. Latest tank is a 75g overstocked Mbuna with twin pot scrubber HOB's (both compartments) and a quad powerhead UGF. My water is crystal clear, less maintenance and my fish and my wallet are happy. As is side note: People really do need to quit bashing UGF's and putting all kinds of horror stories and misinformation out there. I've been plumbing mine for years with drain valves and a fixed gravity syphon system that sucks out the nasty stuff between the plates and the glass every water change. It's also plumbed to fill from the same system of valves. The last 125g I broke down after 20 years (leaked) had ZERO buildup and gunk in that space. Never lost the cycle doing it this way....EVER. You have some beautiful fishies BTW 😁

[@CichlidCharmer]

Thanks for the detailed info!

[@waynehiorns6688]

Hi again are you still using pot scrubbers in your filter & if so how long up too press & how happy are you with these, I'm using alfagog at moment on three external filters Regards Wayne

[@CichlidCharmer]

Yeah still using them and I love em.

[@marlohoward1752]

Love the pot scrubbers

[@CichlidCharmer]

Seem good to me! Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

[@sandeepveeramani]

You deserve more subscribers than you currently have. Subscribed. Keep up the good work.

[@CichlidCharmer]

Wow - thank you!

[@dustinmatlock]

Have you heard of Seachem Matrix? I thought about trying it for anaerobic bacteria to remove nitrates. I heard it takes about 6 months or so for it to start working and it’s said to have more surface area than plastic balls.

[@CichlidCharmer]

Yes I have. I also used some for a while, but I didn’t do any testing to see if there was a difference. Kaveman Aquatics tested them out though. You’ve probably already seen that video, but just in case…. Thanks for commenting, Dustin!

[@TheGnthreman]

More surface area. I wouldn't switch if I already had other media but start a new system with it.

[@CichlidCharmer]

I switched slowly. I do like how with ceramic or lava rock I can just take a handful and stick it in a bag to cycle another tank. Lots of the gunk falls off when you mess with the pot scrubbers.

[@smoothlistening3434]

I have a question... plz help... so i used pot scrubbers in my canister filter yesterday.. an woke up this morning to my tank water red/Light pink.. ive never had this problem before..fish look good. Not breathing hard or anything.. should i do a water change?? Would that be to much for my fish...i have oscars

[@CichlidCharmer]

My pot scrubbers didn’t leach die into the water. Since you’ve only just put them in and you won’t lose any beneficial bacteria, I would remove and do as large a water change as you can, without stressing your fish. Maybe a few changes over a few days if needed. Not sure if the dies will harm them, but I would feel better.

[@smoothlistening3434]

Thank you... I'll do that to day... should I have soaked the scrubbers over night 1st?? I just washed them an put them in

[@CichlidCharmer]

@@smoothlistening3434 those were just bad scrubbers. Mine didn’t do that at all

[@heyloheylo8361]

Ty for sending link

[@PeterKnopp-ih8ie]

Great video .thanks from the uk I’ll will give em a go

[@CichlidCharmer]

Thank you 😊

[@ivideowildlifeTV]

I set my FX6 up this way, are you still seeing great results?

[@CichlidCharmer]

I am still seeing the results I had before I made the change. I've heard this is better and also that it's worse. My research showed me that there is more surface area on the pot scrubbers, which I believe. I believe it will take several months or so before I notice a difference if there is one. Gotta get that gunk on the scrubbers to give the BB the extra surface area. How has your tank been since the change?

[@ivideowildlifeTV]

@@CichlidCharmer it was a new tank with a small amount of bio media transfer & a sponge filter so I too am expecting a little time to fully seat. Everything you talk about and also Half Man Half Cichlid made a lot of sense to me!

[@Muhammad_Ayub_uddin]

Can i add scrub in internal filter????

[@CichlidCharmer]

I don't know of too many internal filters that would be large enough to have room for these as well as sponges. These are only good for biomedia, not mechanical media.

[@poohead8022]

Comment Deleted, I didn’t watch the whole video 😬……..I’m at work 😂

[@poohead8022]

Working hard as you can tell

[@CichlidCharmer]

Oh it was fine, Poo Head. Working hard… 🤣

[@aquariumhacksbymarcus5653]

I have been using pot scrubbers for well over a year My tank has been very well-balanced no problems at all oh yeah by the way sponge filters guess what they too are also made out of plastic 😮

[@CichlidCharmer]

Love it! ❤️

[@dougcrouch9602]

I’m about to set up a filter w/ scrubbies. The only thing I’m worried about is initial off gassing. Curious if anyone else had the same concerns.

[@lint.3535]

It’s acrylic tank ?

[@CichlidCharmer]

Yes

[@nOnly-fn5wl]

First comment 🎉🎉🎉

[@CichlidCharmer]

Well done. 👍

[@NoExceptionsGuy]

Whats your opinion on upgrading the FX6 with a coarse and fine sponge. I have recently replaced the stock sponges.

[@CichlidCharmer]

I haven’t felt the need to upgrade the sponges. They are keeping my bio media really clean, so they are catching most everything. I also add some polyfil to one of my filters on each of my two acrylic tanks, and it does catch some of the finer detritus. Since you already did it, let me know if you notice a difference-I will learn from your experience 😀

[@NoExceptionsGuy]

@@CichlidCharmer I am running it on one of the two FX6s with polyfil in both so I guess I should be able to see the difference in a few weeks as I will be able to see how the two differ in filtering finer stuff and how dirty the polyfil gets and how long it takes to dirt up. My 300 Gallon got a late nitrite spike but ammonia is 0. I have 50 fish inside mostly small and medium size and the aquarium is about 6 weeks running. I did rush a little in stocking up it seems but its under control. Any suggestions? :)

[@CichlidCharmer]

@@NoExceptionsGuy oh yes, please let me know if you notice a difference! Your tank is still pretty new, so swapping out media like that can be harder on the nitrogen cycle than a tank that has been around for a year or more. When I bought my first African cichlids, I bought too many and crashed my cycle in my new tank. Live and learn. I would add some bacteria in a bottle per the instructions. I use the Seachem product, but Fritz has one people like also. You can dose for ammonia with prime also to detoxify the ammonia or nitrite. You have to do that until the tank is cycled again, and as long as it isn’t too much ammonia or nitrite.

[@NoExceptionsGuy]

@@CichlidCharmer Thank you. I do add bottled bacteria every day now and make small water changes every 2 days. I also see we have the same African Cichlid choice. My Haplochromis Nyererei (Lake Victoria) is only 3-4 inches and displays some awesome colours. A very underrated African Cichlid.

[@CichlidCharmer]

@@NoExceptionsGuy that’s a great fish! I am partial to the Victorians. The zebra obliquidens is my favorite. My guy Zeke is awesome

[@akosiamarillo]

It is one of the best media around....including k1 and 20-30ppi foams

[@CichlidCharmer]

That’s what I am seeing, and it makes sense!thanks for your opinion!

[@miroslavivanov7220]

Absolute truth!👍👍My Eheim 2260 is full of 20 ppi sfoam only

[@KatieDeGo]

Thanks for addressing the microplastics! Ultimately, it's the person's choice what they use but I think everyone should make informed decisions. 🥰 Great video!

[@CichlidCharmer]

I agree with you. I’m just not that concerned about them when I know that my fish are already being bombarded by them and they are still fine. Anyway, thanks for watching and for the compliment!

[@anutafishflasher3003]

when can I be like you have a lot of successful subscribers for you 👍

[@CichlidCharmer]

4,000 doesn’t seem like a lot to me compared to others, but I am grateful for every one of them 🙏. Thanks for the comment, AnutaFishFlasher!

[@mowfast7463]

Blast you microplastic!!! 😢 But seriously, very good video. Thanks for the details!!

[@CichlidCharmer]

😆😆🤣 thanks, Logan. I need some more Mow Fast videos!!!

[@EuroGupper]

I wouldn't use potscrubbers, because they have less surface area than lava rocks and ceramic media of which you can fit more of in your filter. I am less worried about microplastics coming off them I once opened my canister filter after 4 months and found 2 guppy juveniles alive in there. 1 eventually died from a sickness and the other survived. The canister filter was clean (all things considering) so I decided to never open it again. For all I know I have a colony of guppies in there after almost 2 years of use. I use a Oase with a prefilter which requires cleaning and is easily done and leaves the main filter clean and full of bacteria and other organism

[@CichlidCharmer]

That’s a funny story! The idea of a guppy colony in your canister… 😆😆

[@miroslavivanov7220]

"because they have less surface area than lava rocks and ceramic media " This is not true at all

[@EuroGupper]

@miroslavivanov7220 Lava Rocks and Ceramic have thousands of pores, pits, holes all over the surface. Potscrubbers have the big mesh only 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@methamphetamemes]

Based on what ive seen the scubbers have more surface area than everything but k1 and 30ppi foam

[@EuroGupper]

You literally can't see the holes and surface crevices in ceramics and lava rocks. A plastic mesh will always be smoother and have less surface area than some natural rock with holes ranging from what you can see all the way down to micro pores. You'd have to physically force a bunch of these plastic mesh together to pack it as possible to come near what ceramics and lava rocks have. Personally, though, I'd still pick a fine/medium filter sponge (for the biological and mechanical filtration combo)

[@dascudder]

They are not for me. It was always the smoothness/slipperiness of them that gave me cause for concern. I’ll stick with biohome. Glad you covered the smoothness of them off 👍

[@CichlidCharmer]

If it ain’t broke… 😆 we will see if that slipperiness causes me any issues. Like I said, I don’t plan on rinsing them off much. In fact, my bio media never looks like it gets much sludge on it at all. Thanks for the sharing your thoughts, Paul. Good to see you 😎

[@craigathonian]

You are soooo right. Plastic is everywhere, so why sweat it ? I remember growing up in the city when there wasn't any plastic, it was glass and paper. The streets and sidewalks would shimmer back then from all the glass dust & gravel. Now ? nothing. Streets are pretty clean thanks to plastic i love plastic, ( even our clothes are made of it.) and so does the bacteria. i remember idiots on YT claiming filter companies were cheating customers by making plastic bio-media. They thought bacteria needed micro caves to live & plastic was too smooth, so they claimed it as a "snake oil" ...when in reality, smooth plastic is very textured under a microscope, PLUS it's a neutral medium, meaning it's a universal foundation for all types of bacteria. We don't just use one type, and these different varieties have needs that are different from each other. My suggestion is mix it all up. Plastic, ceramic, lava, and i even mix in charcoal and wood chips, { i'm presently looking into the benefits of hard bone...we'll see?} Another BIG media under people's noses is Calcined Clay products, ( This is not the same as a ceramic which is almost glass. Calcined is low temp baking.} This type of clay isn't cleaned before processing, as a result the organic dirt gets incinerated leaving a hard nugget riddled with micro holes. Now the beneficial bacteria has a home, BUT, even better since clay is full of minerals for them to feed on, of which iron is their favorite. For cheap bulk - garage supply companies like OilSorb, SafetySorb, and any Sports Field Gravel like Pro's Choice or Turface work great. If you want a solid color, most of Seachem's gravels are calcined clay. So you whole bed can be a bacteria home....not just the filter.

[@frederickali4044]

I'm new to your channel do you have guides on everything for cichlids?

[@CichlidCharmer]

I don’t have any guides yet. Just the videos. I think Kaveman Aquatics has a free ebook though.

[@frederickali4044]

@@CichlidCharmer ok thank you

[@CichlidCharmer]

@@frederickali4044 You're welcome!

[@dickbutt7854]

Turns out the paper straws are more toxic than the plastic ones

[@CichlidCharmer]

😂

[@angel27486]

Good idea

[@CichlidCharmer]

Thank you!