|
Q: Is this all the filtration I need to run a successful fish only or saltwater reef aquarium?
Q: What type and size pump should I get for my Freedom Filter?
Q: How do I adjust the protein skimmer?
Q: Do I have to keep the protein skimmer in place at all times?
Q: How do I clean the protein skimmer and how often?
Q: What if I get some waste floating on the surface of the water in the aquarium?
Q: How often should I add water to my aquarium and what type of water should I use?
Q: Do I have to clean the filter sponges that are in the housing?
Q: Do I have to remove the filter to service the pump?
Q: How often and how much water should I change in my aquarium?
Q: How often should I replace the Freedom Filter Activated Carbon Pad?
Q: Can I buy direct from Freedom Aquarium Products?
Q: Can the Freedom Filter be used for both fresh and saltwater aquariums?
Q: What is the benefit of having a filter system inside the aquarium when other systems
have most of their equipment on the outside of the tank?
Q: Having the pump inside the tank, will that increase the temperature of the water?
Q: How does the Freedom Filter System break down the ammonia to nitrates (bio-load) in a
sufficient way?
Q: How can the Freedom Filter System do total filtration, including biological, chemical,
and mechanical filtration when the water does not go directly through the filters?
Q: At what density level of fish, coral, plants, etc. will the Freedom Filter not be sufficient?
Q: How is "self-cleaning" accomplished with the All Flo?
Q: How can the filter be used to eliminate dead zones in larger tanks?
Q: How does the All Flo handle the breakdown and removal of solids in the aquarium
system?
Q: How can the use of carbon and other media be utilized within the Freedom Filter
System?
Q: Is this all the filtration I need to run a successful fish only or saltwater reef aquarium?
A: Yes. The Freedom Filter performs all functions necessary to run a successful fish only or full reef aquarium. It provides for complete biological, chemical and mechanical filtration. It also provides protein skimming while creating a powerful, adjustable current inside the aquarium.
Q: What type and size pump should I get for my Freedom Filter?
A: Please review the "Product Specifications" page for details.
Q: How do I adjust the protein skimmer?
A: Use the air valve to control the amount of bubbles and foam that is created inside the protein skimmer. The bubbles should rise and stay at the midway point of the funnel. As waste is attracted to the bubbles, a concentration of waste will push up and out of the funnel into the collection area. You are looking for only a concentration of waste to be removed, so if your protein skimmer fills up with water, adjust the air valve until the bubbles and foam stay midway in the funnel.
Q: Do I have to keep the protein skimmer in place at all times?
A: No. The Freedom Filter works well without the skimmer installed. The skimmer can be turned on and off by opening or closing the air valve. The waste created in your system, fish population and feedings are factors which will effect how much protein skimming will be required to maintain good water quality.
Q: How do I clean the protein skimmer and how often?
A: To clean, simply lift the skimmer out of the filter housing and clean with warm water, then dry with a clean towel and reinstall. Be sure to keep the air hose and power cord to the pump towards the front for easy access. NEVER USE SOAPS, CLEANERS OR DISINFECTANTS as the residue left behind may harm the life forms in your aquarium.
Q: What if I get some waste floating on the surface of the water in the aquarium?
A: Simply remove the protein skimmer for a short while and the Freedom Filter will draw it into the front opening for filtration.
Q: How often should I add water to my aquarium and what type of water should I use?
A: Your aquarium will only evaporate water, the salt does not evaporate. Therefore only fresh, filtered, pure drinking water should be added to make up for evaporation. Distilled or reverse osmosis water is the best, however filtered drinking water will work as well? Keep the level of water in your aquarium up to 1 inch above where the output nozzle comes out of the filter.
Q: Do I have to clean the filter sponges that are in the housing?
A: No. Because of the configuration of the Freedom Filter and how it works, the sponges are self cleaning. Over time, the biological activity in the sponges will flourish and excess waste will be skimmed out of the system.
Q: Do I have to remove the filter to service the pump?
A: No. The pump and injector assembly may be lifted out without disturbing the filter housing or the lower sponge. Inspect and service the pump according to manufacturers recommendations, then reinstall the injector assembly and the pump.
Q: How often and how much water should I change in my aquarium?
A: A good rule of thumb is to change 10% of the water every month. Just unplug the pump, remove 10% of the water, then replace the removed water with filtered sea water or pure water mixed with a high quality synthetic salt. Then plug the pump back in.
Q: How often should I replace the Freedom Filter Activated Carbon Pad?
A: Change the pad each month or as needed. The activated carbon in the pad helps to keep the water crystal clear.
Q: Can I buy direct from Freedom Aquarium Products?
A: Freedom Aquarium Products are only sold through retail aquatic and pet stores. Please use the Retail Locator link for names and locations of stores in your area.
Q: Can the Freedom Filter be used for both fresh and saltwater aquariums?
A: Yes. The Freedom Filter may be used for either freshwater or saltwater aquariums.
Q: What is the benefit of having a filter system inside the aquarium when other systems have most of their equipment on the outside of the tank?
A: When an aquarium has an internal filtration system, the possibility of leaks and floods through the filter, as well as the possibilities of failures associated with hoses, fittings, valves, etc. are eliminated! Since the Freedom Filter has no plumbing, water never leaves the aquarium; therefore, there's less evaporation, noise, and zero points of failure. All the functions of filtration are performed - biological, mechanical, chemical - along with very good circulation and protein skimming, all inside a sleek, compact, whisper quiet unit that is smaller than an overflow pre-filter and takes up far less space. The lack of complicated plumbing and additional equipment enables the aquarium enthusiast to spend more time enjoying the inside of their aquarium than servicing problematic equipment external to the aquarium.
Q: Having the pump inside the tank, will that increase the temperature of the water?
A: All aquarium filters that use water pumps add residual heat to the aquarium. The pumps in wet-drys, sumps, canisters, and hang-on-the-back filters work under head pressure. This puts extra stress on the pump and causes excessive heat and may lead to failure. The All Flo Pump runs at zero ft. of head pressure, therefore, the pump runs cooler, longer, and with less chance of failure. Since the All Flo uses only one pump to provide filtration circulation and protein skimming, other equipment is not required. This results in cooler aquariums, lower costs, and higher reliability!
Q: How does the Freedom Filter System break down the ammonia to nitrates (bio-load) in a sufficient way?
A: Bio-load is processed through the use of 2 reticulated sponges that are provided with the unit. These foam sponges provide over 1,000 pores per square inch of surface area for biological activity, and there are 140 square inches of surface area provided with the sponges. Because the foam is submerged there are no dead spots of biological activity as there is with the typical wet-dry. We have found that the reticulated foam easily outperforms the typical wet-dry in ammonia knock-down, power and usable surface prep without the possibility of dead spots or wipe outs to our biological engine. There is, however, room to upgrade the biological holding capacity of the filter. The area below the protein skimmer and above the middle sponge can house more media. We include one activated carbon pad with the unit, however, if desired, more carbon or other media may be used in this space as well. To remove or replace the carbon pad, add or remove other media, simply remove the protein skimmer collection cup, remove/replace median and then reinstall the cup.
Q: How can the Freedom Filter System do total filtration, including biological, chemical, and mechanical filtration when the water does not go directly through the filters?
A: When water is sent directly through filters, a build-up of dirt, organic waste, and debris clog the system. This lead to poor flow, poor water chemistry, high maintenance, and a multitude of other problems. The All Flo Filtration System achieves biological, chemical, and mechanical filtration more effectively by achieving high rates of flow that saturate and flow on, across and around the different media, coupled with powerful protein skimming and oxygen supply. This configuration is by far the most effective and best performing to provide all aspects of filtration with the least maintenance and the highest level of reliability.
Q: At what density level of fish, coral, plants, etc. will the Freedom Filter not be sufficient?
A: The All Flo Filter System has been thoroughly tested in various densities of fish, plants, coral, live rock, etc. and has proven to work very well even in the highest densities. In fact, the aquarium hobbyiest will run out of room in their aquarium before they reach the limits of the All Flo Freedom Filter System. This is achieved by continuously separating and removing organics and waste from the system using high flow rates.
Q: How is "self-cleaning" accomplished with the All Flo?
A: The unique configuration of the Freedom Filter allows water to flow on, around and through the reticulated foam without pushing waste and debris into the sponges. This creates an environment where the sponges become "alive" with vast processing animals, without the possibility of sludge clogging the sponges. The middle sponge will process waste and provide an exit for active compounds through the protein skimmer column. An 18 month ongoing test reveals that the reticulated sponges do not clog even under extraordinary periods of feeding. The only measurable substance found in the bottom of the filter was ditritus which proved to have no effect or hindrance to the performance of the unit. The only time the injector assembly, pump, and sponges should be removed is to service the pump.
Q: How can the filter be used to eliminate dead zones in larger tanks?
A: The larger Freedom Filter is designed to use Mag Drive 950 -1200 or 1800 and Loc-Line fittings, so there are endless opportunities to create and direct flow, including the use of multi-directional flow diverters.
Q: How does the All Flo handle the breakdown and removal of solids
in the aquarium system?
A: The Freedom Filter has several advantages when it comes to the breakdown and removal of solid waste. Unlike a pre-filtered aquarium that can only draw from the surface of the aquarium, the Freedom Filter draws the majority of its water below the surface of the aquarium. The below surface pulling advantage, coupled with the flow rates far greater than wet-drys or sump systems can provide, keeps suspected solids constantly moving into the filter for processing. Another advantage, provided by the configuration of the Freedom Filter, is that waste has no opportunity to get trapped into the system. The waste is sent to the protein skimmer column where it will either be skimmed out and separated from the system, or processed by the biological flora on the inside of the reticulated foam and then skimmed out of the system.
This process is easily proven by studying operating Freedom Filters made of clear acrylic. Our research department runs clear units under normal, abnormal, typical, non-typical, extreme and exceptionally extreme conditions. The results are always the same. The protein skimmer column provides an incredible density of ultra fine air bubbles, which continuously saturate the middle reticulated foam sponge. This leads to healthy biological activity that quickly breaks down organic materials, and since this process occurs within the protein skimmer column, it is exported out of the aquarium system. The speed of degradation and removal of components is a function of aquarium size and flow rate. Other conditions such as fish population, feeding and temperature will affect this speed. The overwhelming result is a fast, efficient nitrogen cycle and no build up of sludge that typically clogs the filter in other systems.
Q: How can the use of carbon and other media be utilized within the Freedom Filter System?
A: The design of the All Flo Freedom Filter allows for additional use of all kinds of media from many different manufacturers. The compartment below the protein skimmer and above the middle sponge can hold bagged carbon, additional biological media, filter floss phosphate removers, etc. Hobbyists favor all kinds of different types of media, based on their systems. The Freedom Filter provides great flexibility concerning this method of filtration. We do manufacture the activated carbon pads, however, it is provided to introduce chemical filtration to the system. The application, size, and configuration of the individual aquariums will determine the volume and type of chemical filtration required as this system evolves.
|
