Look at this darling tiny little HOB filter...

[Abarnswell]

Have you guys seen/heard of these? They are called Azoo Palm Filters. They're tiny little HOB filters with a small compartment for mech/bio/chem filtration. They are designed for really small tanks that need only gentle filtration.

I'm going to try one for my pipfish tank... everything else I've tried is too strong for this pair of 2" long blue stripe pipfish. This filter is so cute!! It also has a knob to adjust the flow rate, which is what I need.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... 2146963260

 

[dragon79]

yeah, they come with the pico tanks. I have one and used it before. The pads that you use in there, suck, they need to come out. *you'll have major algae problems if you dont* be good to have a custom bag of chemi-pure, and fit in some rubble. It's challenging as it's quite small, but I have seen it done by somebody on here I believe. When I used it, I used some Polyfilter, and used it mainly as a tiny hospital tank at the time a fish of mine got sick (yes it got better, and went back to the display tank).

 

[Abarnswell]

The pads that you use in there, suck, they need to come out. *you'll have major algae problems if you dont*

Steven, why would the pads cause an algae problem?

I usually do make up my own filter media, mech and chemical.

 

[hooterhead]

the pads catch all dead and decaying material which makes the pad a nitrate factory. as we all know, nitrates feed algea.

 

[Abarnswell]

Ah. I see what you mean. Thanks!!

 

[incysor]

Blue stripe pipefish will need more room than one of these little filters is good for. They're designed for the little .75g pico tanks. I've got a juvenile blue stripe in my 75g reef. He does just fine with the currents, and he swims all over the tank. During 'daylight' he mainly stays in the rocks on one side, but after the lights go off he hunts all over for pods. I wouldn't try these guys, (especially a pair), in anything under 10g, and this filter just won't do much for that sized tank.

B

 

[Abarnswell]

Right now I have them in a 10g. little reef tank, by themselves. This particular species only gets 2-3 inches long, so I think they'll be okay in a 10g. At first I was going to try the little palm filter, but it is so small, and I like to have as much room for filtration as I can in a HOB filter. So, I am now using an Aqua Clear 30 (with a modified flow rate). I might even upgrade to a larger model of AC HOB now that I know how to modify the flow rate, so I have more room for filtration.

What do you feed your blue stripe? I've been feeding mine live brine shrimp, bits of frozen Mysis shrimp, and I've ordered cultures of live copepods. My blue stripes prefer to nibble off the rock and glass, so I'm thinking copepods will be a big hit with them.

PLEASE feel free to share any advice and your experiences with your blue stripe. My pair are just wonderful (I could watch them for hours)! They are so graceful. They are constantly stroking each other -- that has to be a good sign.

I have made rock cave formations for them, because I've been told that they like to hide in rocks, but mine stay out in the open sand bed surrounding the rocks, where I have planted a number of marine seagrass-type plants.

Thanks for sharing any insight on them!!

 

[sadielynn]

Hey April
we have 2 of them and bought a 3rd for my neice and nephews tank I have 2 on my 2.5 gallon and they do work well I will be adding chemi pure to one because it is true what is said about them I also added some carbon filled pads in mine . Since I added the chemi pure to my 7 gallon system I have found that the h20 is clearer and the levels have all gone to 0 , on our 2 I will be running one with chemi pure and one with just the carbon to allow for alittle extra water movement . I have yet to figure out the power head placement that will work for our 2 gallon ....Just trial and error I guess .. I will be tearing it down to bear bones for maintince and getting it reaquascaped and such

 

[Abarnswell]

Thanks, sadielynn

The chemi-pure you mentioned sounds pretty good. I'll try adding some of that to my tanks. I have a freshwater tank that needs some help. It's been up for 3 years, the amonia and nitrates are 0, but the nitrates are off the chart. Nothing ever dies in there, but they have to be under stress from such high nitrates. My problem is the gravel, which is haboring all that nitrate, but if I siphon the gravel, it releases even more nitrate into the water. I'm doing a series of pretty large water changes, and have added a nitrate sponge material to the filter. I will try chemi-pure, too.