Filter Media Advice

[JoeynDana]

Hello, I'm coming up on the first major maintenance of my 75 gallon freshwater tank and was curious about filter media and what recommendations you might have over the long term use.

I'm running a Marineland Emperor 400 with the cartridges that came with it. In addition a Marinland C360 cannister with the standard Floss, Cermic Tubes, Bio Balls, Carbon, and Foam.

I've read varying opinions on carbon, more floss, more foam etc. Just wanted to compile some opinions to move forward.

By the way, these filters are working great, amazed at how clear I've been able to keep the water.

Thank you.

 

[Zimmanski]

Hello, I'm coming up on the first major maintenance of my 75 gallon freshwater tank and was curious about filter media and what recommendations you might have over the long term use.

I'm running a Marineland Emperor 400 with the cartridges that came with it. In addition a Marinland C360 cannister with the standard Floss, Cermic Tubes, Bio Balls, Carbon, and Foam.

I've read varying opinions on carbon, more floss, more foam etc. Just wanted to compile some opinions to move forward.

By the way, these filters are working great, amazed at how clear I've been able to keep the water.

Thank you.

With the HOB filter don't worry about removing carbon, it won't do any harm to have it. When you replace the cartridge filters just replace 2 at a time. Either the front ones or the back ones, if you replace a side it may change the flow a little. I used to change my 350's filters every month or so, whenever they had a lot of gunk on them. Doing it this way will not harm your BB at all, especially since most of the BB for these filters are on the wheel. For your canister you can change any of the media to fit your needs, in my 406 I run 2 coarse foams, two fine foams/polishing pads and then I leave the bio ceramics in there at all times. The BB is the main concern for all tanks, everything else you can change to however you want

 

[phin]

Purigen and Chemi-Pure Elite are always suggestions, however if you don't have a diatom problem and your water is already crystal then you probably are just fine on your filter media.

I swapped out the bio-balls for Seachem matrix (not matrix carbon) in my C-360 on my mbuna tank and feel that it has made a difference.

 

[Ian086]

Hey, try this layout/set-up for your canister and i gaurentee you'll have crystal clear water...
1. Bottom Tray- Course Pad
2. Seachem Matrix- I use this instead of Bio-Balls or Ceramic Rings/Noddles
3. Fine Polishing Pad and/or Filter Floss and Seachem Purigen 100g

With the Matrix, if you have 2 bio-media trays, fill both with the Matrix.. If your adding this, add it slowly of course. I replaced a qtr of my Bio in each tray at a time, every 2 wks. 1ltr of Matrix=170ltrs of Bio-Balls
Use the polishing pads you have already, but i just use then on top of my filter floss, to hold it down and stops the loose floss clogging the impeller. I use cheap pillow floss, only a dollar or two. Will last a couple of years, much cheaper than pads..
Even if you think you have clear water, Purigen will make it sparkle!!. It also helps with the Biological function of the filter..