Fit BioMaster 600 filter head over a BioMaster 350 container?

[zeruipelayo]

Hi all,

Has anybody tried to increase flow rate of existing filter by "upgrading" the filter head?

For context...
I currently own a Biomaster 350 and for the tank size I have (74 litres) is more than enough to achieve full cycle and maintain good water quality. Tank is a community tank with small fish only (ember tetra, corydora paleatus, celestial pearl danios) and heavily planted.

I'm using the pre-filter for the mechanical filtration part (I clean it every week, so never gets too clogged) and thus use all 4 trays for biological filtration (using a mix of Seachem Matix, Eheim Substract Pro & Aquario Neo Media Pure). That gives be around 3kg of biological media inside the canister.
Smaller top tray currently has purigen.

If / when I upgrade to a bigger tank in the future (thinking of 200 litre), I would like to keep current filter (if possible) as the 3 kg of media should cope with 200l (at least using PondGuru's ratio of 1kg of good bio media per 100l of water).

Major problem would then be Cannister's flow rate, considering turnover cycle.
So, the thinking would be if a Biomaster 600 or even a 850 filter head would fit and work properly on top of a BioMaster 350 container. They seem to be the same size (at least in theory). Has anyone tried something like this?

Cheers

 

[plantnoobdude]

Hi all,

Has anybody tried to increase flow rate of existing filter by "upgrading" the filter head?

For context...
I currently own a Biomaster 350 and for the tank size I have (74 litres) is more than enough to achieve full cycle and maintain good water quality. Tank is a community tank with small fish only (ember tetra, corydora paleatus, celestial pearl danios) and heavily planted.

I'm using the pre-filter for the mechanical filtration part (I clean it every week, so never gets too clogged) and thus use all 4 trays for biological filtration (using a mix of Seachem Matix, Eheim Substract Pro & Aquario Neo Media Pure). That gives be around 3kg of biological media inside the canister.
Smaller top tray currently has purigen.

If / when I upgrade to a bigger tank in the future (thinking of 200 litre), I would like to keep current filter (if possible) as the 3 kg of media should cope with 200l (at least using PondGuru's ratio of 1kg of good bio media per 100l of water).

Major problem would then be Cannister's flow rate, considering turnover cycle.
So, the thinking would be if a Biomaster 600 or even a 850 filter head would fit and work properly on top of a BioMaster 350 container. They seem to be the same size (at least in theory). Has anyone tried something like this?

Cheers

Now, how can I say this politely. I would take anything the pondguru says with a healthy dosage of salt…
Planted tanks very rarely have issues with ammonia, nitrite or nitrate. That is because plants use all forms of fixed nitrogen.
If you think about media in terms of volume, the stuff inside your filter is a couple litres at most, but then you have 10-20 litres of substrate which is well oxygenated by plant roots, and lots of surface are created by plants. I have a feeling nitrifying bacteria will not care whether they are “growing” in expensive bio media, plain sponges or substrate.
For this reason I keep my filter as a circulation tool for co2, and it is free from media, this allows me to make sure that flow does not drop off in between filter maintenance. If you still like the idea of media, I would recommend cheap kitchen sponges cut up into cubes( this allows flow around the media), just make sure they don’t have any detergent.
As for adding a new head, I’ve seen a few people mention it, but no personal experience. I if I were you I would just add a power head/ wave maker. Much cheaper.

 

[seedoubleyou]

Yes, I have a 600 on either the 250 or 350 bin, they’re all the same size it’s only the height that changes.
It works completely fine and at the time allowed me to have a stronger filter in a smaller area.
The only thing of note, is, I get some leakage when I lift the filter up to take it for a clean.

Other than that, it’s a cheap way at getting a stronger filter, I managed to find one on eBay damaged for £43 but there’s new ones for around £75 (a year or so ago)


It’s worth mentioning too, you won’t fit the larger heater or larger pre filter on, you have use the stuff from the 350.

 

[seedoubleyou]

Much cheaper.

Not necessarily true. (Depending on what powerhead you buy and how cheap you pick a new filter head up for)

(I’m being a little pedantic here 😅)


I’m not so big on all the chemistry or science, but ADA have always packed their filters with biological media, if it works for them, it’s good enough for me.

 

[Hanuman]

For this reason I keep my filter as a circulation tool for co2, and it is free from media, this allows me to make sure that flow does not drop off in between filter maintenance.

I've been willing to do that for a while. Just lazy to dismantle the filter. It's always at least an hour job when removing, cleaning and reconnecting everything back.

If you still like the idea of media, I would recommend cheap kitchen sponges cut up into cubes( this allows flow around the media), just make sure they don’t have any detergent.

Personally I think that if media is wanted it's better to use anything else other than sponges. Not because they are better but because sponges get clogged and trap debris and reduce flow considerably and one needs to clean them more regularly. My filter only has cheap ceramic/volcanic type bio media. The only sponge I have is the pre-filter which is easy to access and clean and I do that every week or so.

 

[Aqua sobriquet]

Yes, I have a 600 on either the 250 or 350 bin, they’re all the same size it’s only the height that changes.
It works completely fine and at the time allowed me to have a stronger filter in a smaller area.
The only thing of note, is, I get some leakage when I lift the filter up to take it for a clean.

Other than that, it’s a cheap way at getting a stronger filter, I managed to find one on eBay damaged for £43 but there’s new ones for around £75 (a year or so ago)


It’s worth mentioning too, you won’t fit the larger heater or larger pre filter on, you have use the stuff from the 350.

Are there any obvious differences between the Heads? For example are the impellers a different size. I’m just wondering how the different flow rates are produced.
I’ve bought, but not yet set up a Biomaster 350. Thinking ahead, due to the height I’m wondering if a 250 base might be a better fit in my cabinet.

 

[seedoubleyou]

Are there any obvious differences between the Heads? For example are the impellers a different size. I’m just wondering how the different flow rates are produced.
I’ve bought, but not yet set up a Biomaster 350. Thinking ahead, due to the height I’m wondering if a 250 base might be a better fit in my cabinet.

That’s actually a very good question I never compared the two, but I’d assume that yes, the impeller would be larger and the pump more powerful too.

 

[erwin123]

Hi all,

Has anybody tried to increase flow rate of existing filter by "upgrading" the filter head?

For context...
I currently own a Biomaster 350 and for the tank size I have (74 litres) is more than enough to achieve full cycle and maintain good water quality. Tank is a community tank with small fish only (ember tetra, corydora paleatus, celestial pearl danios) and heavily planted.

I'm using the pre-filter for the mechanical filtration part (I clean it every week, so never gets too clogged) and thus use all 4 trays for biological filtration (using a mix of Seachem Matix, Eheim Substract Pro & Aquario Neo Media Pure). That gives be around 3kg of biological media inside the canister.
Smaller top tray currently has purigen.

If / when I upgrade to a bigger tank in the future (thinking of 200 litre), I would like to keep current filter (if possible) as the 3 kg of media should cope with 200l (at least using PondGuru's ratio of 1kg of good bio media per 100l of water).

Major problem would then be Cannister's flow rate, considering turnover cycle.
So, the thinking would be if a Biomaster 600 or even a 850 filter head would fit and work properly on top of a BioMaster 350 container. They seem to be the same size (at least in theory). Has anyone tried something like this?

Cheers

I upgraded the flow rate of my existing filter by reducing 1kg of filter media to 200g once I learnt in UKAPS that such media was not necessary in a planted tank.

Your 3kg of filter media for a 74 litre tank is rather over the top - even Seachem says you only need 250g of Matrix for 200 litres! And mind you, Seachem has an incentive to sell you more Matrix,.....

Seachem - Matrix

www.seachem.com

 

[Aqua sobriquet]

Looking online the 250 and 350 have the same part number for the impeller, the fins being Black. I then saw this on the auction site, the bottom one with larger White fins is for the 600.
I wonder if the 600 impeller would physically fit a 250/350 and whether it would actually push more water through the unit?

 

[seedoubleyou]

Looking online the 250 and 350 have the same part number for the impeller, the fins being Black. I then saw this on the auction site, the bottom one with larger White fins is for the 600.
I wonder if the 600 impeller would physically fit a 250/350 and whether it would actually push more water through the unit?

View attachment 192483

Could be worth a try.

 

[zeruipelayo]

Yes, I have a 600 on either the 250 or 350 bin, they’re all the same size it’s only the height that changes.
It works completely fine and at the time allowed me to have a stronger filter in a smaller area.
The only thing of note, is, I get some leakage when I lift the filter up to take it for a clean.

Other than that, it’s a cheap way at getting a stronger filter, I managed to find one on eBay damaged for £43 but there’s new ones for around £75 (a year or so ago)


It’s worth mentioning too, you won’t fit the larger heater or larger pre filter on, you have use the stuff from the 350.

Thanks for sharing your first hand experience. Nice to know my initial idea was not too far off.
The idea would be to keep the 350 pre-filter chamber and heater as is (as the ones from the 600 are too long). Making use of a stronger pump / impeller combo was the main goal.

Thanks also to all others for your insights. Always learning!

 

[Dankex]

Thanks for sharing your first hand experience. Nice to know my initial idea was not too far off.
The idea would be to keep the 350 pre-filter chamber and heater as is (as the ones from the 600 are too long). Making use of a stronger pump / impeller combo was the main goal.

Thanks also to all others for your insights. Always learning!

Olá Zé Rui! (I’m also from Portugal )

Did you end up trying this? I’m glad I found this thread, as I’m thinking of doing the exact same thing.
Did it work? Is it noticeable louder, has the flow increased ? Did you replace the whole head?

Thanks in advance!