My 2-cents' worth? Why certainly. ;)
I am w/ Roy in the bio-filter of preference choice -- I prefer sponges to
all else. I have used canisters (they are gathering dust in my storage
room), UGs (plants don't do so well for me in em), over the back filters
(well, I still like em for H2O movement), and etc, etc. My sponges do the
job for me, do it well, w/ little expense and are easy to service -- even
easier than Peter's UG-tubs. :-)
If that was my 180, I'd probably be using 4 or 5 large sponges. Plus
plants and whatever was sequestered in the gravel bed. Or......
I may just move in Rhonda's direction and remove all the filters from it
and just plant it up. The 55-gal in her living room is to die for and NO
filters. :)
BTW, an easy enough way to get chemical filtration into a tank is to just
throw some media (peat, carbon, whatever) into a box filter and throw it
in. Cheap and nothing could be simpler, except maybe the sponge in there
already. ;)
I read that article on the plant filter, and FYI, not only do nitrifying
bact *not* use ammonium, but plants DO. That is another reason why his
filter does such a great job. :) If I was working w/ those H2O
parameters, I would prob do something similar. A very nice idea.
And then, as i know we all agree with, there's Chris's water changes.
Weekly is what I prefer, and they work better than any filter..... :)
Unless someone *gave* em to me, I would not go the route of either WD or
FB filters, as they are way too $$ for the job they do, and proper
stocking and maintenance levels would more than compensate for them, IMHO.
(Well, MAYBE in a marine tank I MIGHT think about it...)
Julie <><