Polyfilter vs protein skimmer vs carbon

[RMX]

Hi, this is a sentence quoted on the polybio marine website;

BECAUSE OF THIS UNIQUE FILTERING CHARACTERISTIC, THE POLY-FILTER ELIMINATES THE NEED AND EXPENSE OF CARBON OR ION EXCHANGE RESINS AND PROTEIN SKIMMERS.

any thoughts?

[wedgee]

Err i hope i not too kiasu here, but i put in all three!!! (Carbon, poly & skimmer) Guess i have to be super careful cause i beginner...

[clowntrigger]

From my new setup, I notice that when I remove one of the poly filter(have 2 inside), my skimmer seem to foam much more. I do not know whether is this a concidence as I am waiting for my skimmer to break in during that time. But always, more is better than less in this case, treat it as a backup

[Achilles Tang]

I use polyfilters too in my setup... it is the only filtermedia known to absorb metals, organics and phosphates.

Perhaps someone should do a product review?

By the way, what's the original question?

[wedgee]

From my new setup, I notice that when I remove one of the poly filter(have 2 inside), my skimmer seem to foam much more. I do not know whether is this a concidence as I am waiting for my skimmer to break in during that time. But always, more is better than less in this case, treat it as a backup

Hey you're not alone, clowntrigger! My skimmer produced much less foam when i put in one piece of polyfilter! I had to turn the flow rate all the way up to get the foam level back on line... Guess the filter really works huh?

[clowntrigger]

I think it might be true like what AT say, it absorb metals, organics and phosphates, thus less organics for the skimmer to skip. But I think a skimmer is more effective as the organics are skim out of the water, whereas in polyfilter, it is still in the water. In polyfilter, it is difficult to judge whether the pad is End of life or not, get what I mean, so the best, have all the three, carbon, polyfilter and skimmer

[LiveRock]

where u put the polyfoam?

[clowntrigger]

In the sump after they pass through my first layer of cotton wool.

[derf]

they are not cheap...

[clowntrigger]

Sealife having a promotion, buy 2 get 1 free(Don't know still on or not), or you get the bigger piece, which work out to be I think $8+ a piece.

[derf]

used to buy them from marinelife, think was abt $24 for 2 pkts.... nw i juz use normal cotton... if it's true that it gets rid of phosphate, i'll consider using them again....

[clowntrigger]

I found that poly filter is really useful. I have put the polyfiler on the bottom of 2 cotton wool chamber on my old tank. You will see that the polyfilter turn brownish even though cotton wool layer above it is still quite clean, does that make you use it again?

[derf]

was trying to search for tis particular thread that someone provided a link abt our tap water containing salicates n ways to remove it by pouring the water from one pail to another wif a media filtering out the undesirable salicates.

since we're somewat on this topic of filtering phosphates n several other unwanted elements from the water, can i use the polyfilter as the media using the method above??

[clowntrigger]

sorry derf, me no experts as in what is really being remove by the polyfilter, maybe you can look at the following URL

http://www.poly-bio-marine.com/polyprod.htm

[derf]

it's ok... thks anyways.. was searching for the thread but cldn't find it....

[Achilles Tang]

Polyfilters are used in blood dialysis, where it takes out impurities from the blood... what do you think!

They do not apparently release them into the water... you will know when it's time to change polyfilters when you see them turn very dark in colour.. different colours mean different stuff are pulled out from water.

I used them because in the past, I have a brass check valve in my tank and was afraid of copper leaching... but I have never seen my polyfilter turn reddish. Maybe I was lucky!

[Tanzy]

Polyfilter is excellent stuff. I use it in place of carbon. Unless you can afford to change the polyfilter everyday, on the long run, protein skimmer are cheaper to use. Maybe in tanks 10gal or less, it might be able to keep up with the DOC, but again, it's the cost on the long run to keep replacing the it.

[derf]

i was put off by the cost but since everyone here is advocating the use of it, i think i'll start using it again.... <_

[Achilles Tang]

I think to keep to the original topic of this thread...

Protein skimmers are a #1 priority because they not only skim out DOC but also help oxygenate the water.

Carbon is mainly an absorbent for DOC but gets saturated easily and must be disposed off regularly before it leaches everything back into the water. Its cheap.

Polyfilters are good absorbents for a whole lot of stuff (seems really the only 'miracle' filter around. It doesn't need to be replaced EVERYDAY as Tanzy (jokingly) says but you'll know when the colour changes. Its expensive.

So there is no #2 or #3... only budget.

[Tanzy]

Polyfilters are good absorbents for a whole lot of stuff (seems really the only 'miracle' filter around. It doesn't need to be replaced EVERYDAY as Tanzy (jokingly) says but you'll know when the colour changes. Its expensive.

I'm not joking. In a sizeable fully running system, lets say 120gal, if the skimmer is removed, the polyfilter will be saturated by DOC very quickly. This is based on the assumption that in the system there are no other nutrient export systems like macroalgae.

[Norvin Ng]

I understand that we need to remove the pad if we are adding additives... it is recommended that we remove the pad for three days after adding the additives... problem is... for people like me, I am adding something every other day......

Any solutions?

[Achilles Tang]

I'm not joking. In a sizeable fully running system, lets say 120gal, if the skimmer is removed, the polyfilter will be saturated by DOC very quickly. This is based on the assumption that in the system there are no other nutrient export systems like macroalgae.

Does your assumption exclude a skimmer?

I haven't heard of such a filthy tank that can turn a polyfilter pad black in one day!

[derf]

i muz say it does turn v black n it smells!!! <_

[Tanzy]

If I were to pour skimmate produced by my skimmer in 24 hrs onto a polyfilter, it won't go all the way black but will most certainly turn olive green. I replace the polyfilter when it turns olive green, I never wait till it goes black.

Of course, this is without experimentat data. Perhaps a bit exaggerated, but it won't be too far of course to assume that the polyfilter will be overwhelmed by the amount of DOC in mature system if the skimmer is removed.

[RMX]

so in other words, the quote that a skimmer is not needed when a polyfilter is in place holds if its for a small tank only.

but there's no denying wat a skimmer can really pull out