Canister Filter advice needed

[Fidgetromeo]

so ive been running a fluval 106 for a few months now, its my first external filter and the more i think about it the more i think ive got things backwards.... water flows into the filter, through a foam screen, then through the biomax in the bottom basket and then through the polishing pad and carbon in the upper basket. from my expreience of internal filters and just pure instinct.... shouldnt the water go through the polishing pad before the biomax?

 

[troyd75826]

You got it right according to the Fluval instruction manual. The chemical media is supposed to be last right before after the polishing pad so the polishing pad can catch any last remnants of dirt and send the cleanest (debris free) water to the chemical media.

 

[Fidgetromeo]

Instinct tells me though that the bio media should come after the mechanical and chemical

 

[troyd75826]

I found this on drsfostersmith for their explanation about polishing their polishing pad:

Micron Felt Pads - Reusable pads trap tiny debris to "polish" aquarium water to sparkling clarity. Highly effective filter pads perfect for protecting biological filter media from clogs. 1/8" thick.

 

[Fidgetromeo]

my thought is more about the order of the media, i have a juwel filter and in that the polishing pad is the first thing the water passes through, which makes sense to me cos its not gunking up the bio media so much, but the fluval canister has the polishing pad last , it just seems odd to me.

 

[furryeggs]

Foam 1st (mechanical)
Bio media 2nd
polishing pad 3rd
Chemical if required after or in with the pad (carbon etc)

 

[Ian086]

my thought is more about the order of the media, i have a juwel filter and in that the polishing pad is the first thing the water passes through, which makes sense to me cos its not gunking up the bio media so much, but the fluval canister has the polishing pad last , it just seems odd to me.

The beauty about canisters is you can customize them. The way I have mine set-up is starting from the bottom is:
Course Sponge
Medium Sponge
Filter Floss
Bio Media
More Floss
My canister has four trays....

 

[Fidgetromeo]

mine has a sponge screen and 2 trays, it works fine as it is, im just always on the lookout for ways to make things more efficient

 

[Ian086]

mine has a sponge screen and 2 trays, it works fine as it is, im just always on the lookout for ways to make things more efficient

Try putting a bag of Purigen in there for that extra sparkle to the water.....

 

[Fidgetromeo]

I have looked at purigen and I am tempted to try it, but I've not seen much to say it's much more beneficial than carbon for regular use

 

[Ian086]

I have looked at purigen and I am tempted to try it, but I've not seen much to say it's much more beneficial than carbon for regular use

It is way more beneficial than carbon. Carbon only removes meds and odours. Carbon is way more expensive to run than Purigen. Also Purigen removes organic waste, last longer and is rechargeable. Purigen polishes the water much more than carbon.
For me there is NO comparison. I don't run carbon, in fact I NEVER have but I would not be without Purigen....