Pimp MY Filter #72 - Fluval C2 Hang On Back Filter

[@pondguru]

Fluval C2 Filter (Amazon): geni.us/rGGH4 A much better HOB: geni.us/Q4AI37t Upgrade video of the HOB-500: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jnysYo2EhpmYg6c Foams, Biohome Ultimate, Biogravel etc: www.filterpro.co.uk (FilterPro site has links to Biohome suppliers in other countries) Fluval video of C2 filters: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q6q9p2Roec5krKM Follow me on Odysee: odysee.com/$/invite/@PondGuru:0 Contact me on 07772848730 / [e-mail] *******(I don't do texts)******* The C2 is a decent HOB filter which has a good rear cartridge which would normally be filled with a coarse and a fine pad. Like most HOB filters the available space for filter media is minimal. However, if you have room for a HOB filter I'd advise on going for this one: geni.us/Q4AI37t as it is easily the best HOB filter I've featured in this series. The following videos will be useful for learning more about filtration and filter media: Sizing a canister properly and filter set up: goo.gl/om19un Looking INSIDE different filter media: goo.gl/hZWS6c Bacteria and filter media: goo.gl/123gAF How to clean an aquarium: goo.gl/bPMhvh Aquarium tips / filtration playlist: goo.gl/pXgqVj A full cycle is completed by bacteria - the aerobic part of biological filtration which processes ammonia to nitrite and nitrite to nitrate followed by an anaerobic part which processes nitrate into soluble nitrogen which bubbles off to the atmosphere. Therefore it requires a suitable amount of excellent quality filter media to be able to provide the environment for both aerobic AND anaerobic bacteria - that is what Biohome filter media does perfectly but even with such good media there are limitations and we recommend the following amounts for different stocking scenarios: (1 US Gallon = 3.8 litres) (1kg = 2.2 lbs) Average community tropical aquarium = 1kg per 100 litres Average coldwater aquarium = 1kg - 1.5kg per 100 litres Predator aquarium = 1.5kg - 2kg per 100 litres Large cichlid aquarium = 1.5kg - 2kg per 100 litres Malawi / Tanganyikan aquarium = 1.5kg - 2kg per 100 litres Marine aquarium = 1.5kg - 2kg per 100 litres Average mixed fish pond = 1kg per 200 litres Average koi pond = 1kg per 150 litres You may be disagreeing with the above figures but remember that they are for a FULL CYCLE not half a job - achieving 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite is quite easy since aerobic bacteria grows freely on any surface but the anaerobic bacteria responsible for COMPLETING the cycle needs more a specialized habitat. Remember to use a water conditioner which does not bind / detoxify ammonia, nitrite or nitrate as that type of conditioner will severely limit bacteria numbers by starving the bacteria of 'food'. Size a filter properly, set it up sensibly and you will have perfect water - it's that simple....and your filter won't be the dreaded 'Nitrate factory'.....you'll spend less money on treatments too......basically the filter is the foundation of a successful aquarium. This series of videos is all about trying to squeeze more efficiency out of internal and external aquarium filters which generally have a limited filtering capacity - If you have a filter you'd like me to feature in a video then please contact me on: [e-mail] 07772848730 (Richard) Anyone who sends a filter (UK only at present) will have it upgraded and returned to them for free and the only cost you will pay is how much it costs to ship it to me - I'm helping to boost your filter and the resulting videos will hopefully be useful to viewers all over the world so it's a win/win. This channel is purely a hobby for me so I will never ask viewers to donate money for any of my projects or charge anyone for information - information should be shared freely and I certainly don't consider myself an 'expert' in anything I pursue as a hobby so please do your own research, never accept anything as 'fact', reject anyone claiming to be some sort of authority or 'expert' and make your own minds up about anything you wish to study. We all are on a long path of learning......... RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS ON AMAZON: goo.gl/jMaBWy INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/pondguru_outdoors/ FILMING EQUIPMENT: Panasonic HC-VX870 HD camcorder geni.us/3UwE +Rode stereo microphone: geni.us/4OL +Rode 'deadcat' mic cover: geni.us/1pmn JVC Everio quad proof HD camcorder: geni.us/e09e +Rode 'deadcat' mic cover (opened up and held between tripod and camera base) geni.us/dee24 Zomei Z666 tripod: geni.us/1a1af3 Manfrotto MTPIXI-B PIXI mini tripod: geni.us/87f7 If you've enjoyed this video please check out the playlists on my channel for hundreds more - on a variety of subjects. Feel free to share or link any of my videos on facebook, twitter, forums etc. for the benefit of anyone you think may also enjoy watching. See you next time. Pondguru

[@paulwaclawek2149]

Keep them coming Richard 👍 love yr video’s

[@drewbacca5467]

I’ve got both a C2 and a C4 on my two tanks and have tried to pimp them how you do. The one part of this that you didn’t cover was the little lift elevator that covered the trickle part of the original filter. The flow gauge on the filter actually cycles the water twice at the low setting and more through the trickle than the higher setting. However, that water is going to go onto your biomedia completely unfiltered unless you have a prefilter on your intake. Currently, put a coarse prefilter on mine and split medium and fine foam into the mechanical tray. I crammed as much leftover BioHome Ultimate as I could in the two bio trays and put a fine pad of filter floss over it to filter the elevated trickle water. That floss gets really dirty, so I’d love an idea on how you’d take care of that, since it’s going to clog up your biomedia much quicker.

[@AquaNoxLTD]

Yeh ill add a course pre-filter and I cud block the trickle filter outlet add fine floss after the medium pad too

[@matthewsmith6374]

Another great video, been awhile I would say you could add a pre filter intake course sponge , just to help , done in on one of mine and worked really well and catch big bits or plant matter . Look forward to the next video

[@alt-swe5503]

A course sponge on the intake hose down in the tank would make that first step along with saving fry and shrimplets from being sucked in to the filter.

[@stevecooper6653]

Go for the all pond solutions 👌🏻best to bin that one.my favourite being the 600-Ho I’ve got it on a 6-7 gallon tank fully planted.and yes I’ve filled it up the way that you have showed when you did this filter some time ago 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻works perfect on this small tank….steve

[@hakman239]

If you unscrew the inlet fill it up but more then you won’t need to tilt it to get the air out

[@des8616]

Could you use "Leca" as the bio-gravel? Not sure if they have the same name in Europe, but they are porous clay balls used in hydroponically growing houseplants. IKEA, of all places, sells those in large bags pretty reasoably priced over here. Thanks!

[@pondguru]

Yes that is a viable filter media and although it is nowhere near as porous and suited to bacterial colonization compare to Biogravel it's still pretty decent - especially when compared to cheap ceramic rings and plastic media.

[@pfeiticeiro]

lol, the lad sent you that so you send him back a new one :D

[@SteveBrunelle]

I love your pimping options! Just wanted to say though that your intro makes it sound like the C2 uses replaceable cartridges, which we know it does not. There are in fact separate compartments in this filter but you don't have to replace them, you just replace the sponges or media with whatever you would like to use. One of the reasons I got the C2 was the fact I could use any foam I wanted to in this filter, and the other being the biomedia tray.

[@dragonld123]

I have a big bag with Eheim Mech from older filters that replaced with other media and stayed brand new. It suppose to be for Mechanical filtration,does they work as biological filtration too?

[@pondguru]

Anything will support bacteria to some degree but the Eheim Mech supports hardly any bacteria compared to proper biological media (e.g. Biohome) - that's why I use it as first stage mechanical media in these filter upgrade videos.

[@roystonderick]

Love your videos! Could you do a pimp my filter video for the tetra easy crystal filterbox 600??

[@AquaNoxLTD]

roystonderick he can't just do any filter as he don't own them to do the video if u were to send him ur filter then he d pimp it and send it back and upload the video as long as ur from the UK and your filters one he's not done befor then he d make the video all these filters in the videos are ones send to him and then sent back

[@hakman239]

You have to send him one if he hasn’t done it already

[@rantsandreviews]

There is a ton of buzz in the hobby about aerobic, anaerobic, and anoxic filtration right now. Also a lot of talk about plenums and BCB bags/baskets. I have just broken down 3 75 gallon tanks and I am going to do an experiment. 1 tank with an HOB and Kevin Novak inspired plenum system, 1 with a premium bio media like yours in a FX4, and 1 with a FX4 and factory media set up as the manufacturer recommends. The focus will be on Nitrate reduction. I am going to run the experiment for 6 months. I am very curious to see the results. I will be doing update videos bi weekly.

[@pondguru]

No worries and feel free to email me details of the tank stock, conditioner used etc. as it all plays into how well the bacteria will do and how quickly the bacteria will establish. 75 gal. works out at around 285 litres and the FX4 only holds 3kg of media. That's fine for a normally stocked tank (e.g community tank) but will not hold enough media for a heavily stocked tank (e.g. cichlid tank) to achieve a full cycle although in reality every tank is different. There are lots of notes about the media, amounts to use for different stocking scenarios and what will help / hinder the cycle on the Q&A page of the FilterPro site - www.filterpro.co.uk but email me any time no worries on 07772848730

[@keepingitkoi]

I need to get me some bio gravel

[@jaemarple608]

Where would you recommend to buy Biogravel in mesh bag in the USA? There so much biogravel, and I don't want to buy knock off. Lol. The mesh bag you use is something I wanna use too. Send me some links. Or if you ship the the USA, I would buy some. I live Las Vegas. Thank you

[@pondguru]

The video description and pinned comment has a link to my FilterPro site which in turn has all the distributors listed (flags at the top of any page are direct links) - the main US distributor is www.greatwaveeng.com Greatwave Engineering. The price on Amazon.com is ridiculous so don't buy from there.

[@kkreddot]

Would the C2 be overkill for a 2ft long 10 gallon tank?

[@RustyPawz]

No such thing as overfiltration just too much flow.

[@AquaNoxLTD]

Not alot of people wouid have seen the fluval c hob filters they don't sell them in the UK youv to order them onlune they I'll come from the USA or Spain Germany ect there available on eBay and miscota there 3 in the range from this one the c2 there's a c3&c4 there really good hang on the back filters the lids don't rattle like the aquaclears and if the power go's out they'll reprime no bother iv had this filter for many years over 4/5 I'd say and it's a workhorse it's got a clean indicator button it comes with course n fine square pad joined together as the mechanical filtration the red tray has carbon n a bag for chemical but is best used for bio the black box above red tray is a mini trickie filter tray as some of the water comes out from the top at side of the pump throw a nil on sheet then throw fluval bio nodes media its a very quiet reliable filter but my ones been throw the wars I dropped it n cracked it but superglue the crack I'll but a replacement body and new intake in take or just get a new one or a seacheim tidal 35 there better by I'd say the c filters wouid be a close second I like how Richard's set it up the filter moves 400lph on max and 200 on low

[@hakman239]

What do you think of fluval bio fx it’s ceramic but looks more pours then bio home but fluval say doesn’t support anaerobic bacteria they don’t believe in it

[@AquaNoxLTD]

Fluval said at to me they don't believe nitrates get converted to n2 but I know for a fact they do

[@hakman239]

@@AquaNoxLTD but bio fix supporting anaerobic I’m not sure

[@AquaNoxLTD]

@@hakman239 bio fx don't support anerobic bacteria I never ever said it did

[@hakman239]

@@AquaNoxLTD I know you didn’t say but what I’m saying could it

[@AquaNoxLTD]

@@hakman239 no fluvals saying it can't but it maybe cud if it's n a canister with next to no flow but u won't want that it WID maybe work in a sump iv never tryed to be honest the only media I buy is biohome cause iv been using it for years and I know for a fact that works

[@BobsShadow]

I'm not a fan of how you have characterized this filter, it does not come with cartridges that need replacing. it comes with a long lasting sponge filter that you can easily clean, with a coarse and medium side. the top black box is filled with bio media for aerobic bacteria filtration, the spout on the side sends water into it and it rains down on the media. the bottom section is for a multitude of options, be it chemical filtration, or fine floss filter, more bio balls. I run the larger C4 in an aquarium, and it has been one of the best, and least costly filters i have owned.

[@pondguru]

You're mostly right there and I should have been more specific. I'm glad you're pleased with how your filter is working. The red cartridge which has the black media box attached to it holds chemical media which needs replacing regularly using pouches from Fluval. That section is not really designed for biological media although it could probably be altered to take some. Unfortunately that leaves a tiny option for biological filtration and it is that process which will ensure that there is no ammonia and nitrite in the water (and take away the 'need' for regular chemical filtration use). So while the cartridges themselves don't need replacing the stuff in them does (or is recommended to be used and replaced) which is what I'm trying to get filters away from in this series of videos. Other than the occasional replacement of a fine white pad I don't want people spending money on unnecessary, regular replacement parts as the initial cost of a filter compared to the cost of following manufacturers recommendations regarding the replacement parts for the life of the filter is negligible - some filters (not necessarily this one) cost a fortune for owners to replace things in them monthly or bi-monthly for the life of the filter. Hope that makes sense and thanks for your comment.

[@BobsShadow]

@@pondguru I appreciate the response, and i find your suggestions for filter alterations useful. I just found it frustrating and mildly funny to see a review knocking this filter design, even though out of the box it's 80% of the way to working the way you are describing the modifications to fix filters. I'm also a bit baffled that this filter is available, other than bags of activated carbon/other chemical filtration, if you use them, there's not much incentive to buy other parts for these filters. If you ever get a chance, take a look at the larger C3 or C4 model, the C2 is tiny in comparison. It's by no means a perfect filter, but has been fairly decent.

[@pondguru]

@@BobsShadow Yes it would be great to take a look at the biggest version of this filter as it does look like it's a decent size.

[@hakman239]

Iv not seen this before

[@AquaNoxLTD]

Hackman. You'll see them on KZbin

[@wam2610]

👍

[@polgartibor1958]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@abdelkaderelmardi6494]

👍🇫🇷♥️

[@Pray4Mojo1]

These were horrible filters. Lots of water bypasses the foam and directly on top of the bio media into the "trickle tray", and forget about the tiny filter pad. That thing would clog within 1 day and it would overflow unfiltered water back into the tank. Fluval hired a crackhead to design this filter.

[@jungleman4800]

You can always remove the tiny filter pad and that will not happen. Problem solved.

[@Pray4Mojo1]

@@jungleman4800 then you get water going into your bio media that didn't go through mechanical media. You will get solid waste build up in your bio media which is not good.