Filter Media Help?

[williamsaj1210]

Okay so after many years of using your standard HOB filter with the premade filter pads (yeah I know I know.. lazy and uneffective) I'm purchasing a canister filter. Ive decide on a Penn Plax 700 Cascade which I got a good deal on. Now.. I understand the difference in mechanical, biological, and chemical filtering. But which is the best ones to use? Brands, material, combinations? Haven't found good material to base a decision on yet. Any advice or recommendations? Me and my fishies thank you.

 

[CorallineAlgae]

Freshwater fish or planted tank? Africans or soft water system? These things depend on what you'll be keeping in your tank. Don't want to give out the wrong advice.

 

[manbeast]

I have canister filters on three of my tanks and all three are set up the same, first the sponges for mechanical and the rest bio and maybe a little space saved in the last tray for chemical as necessary. for the sponges I splurge and buy the ones made by the manufacturer( I prefer the way they fit ) and the rest I use ceramic bio rings, note these are all FW tanks, it seems alot of people using them on SW use LR rubble for the bio but it's just their personal preference, hope this helps

 

[williamsaj1210]

Fish only. Soft water. I have only a large pacu in it but he is a messy eater if there ever was one.

 

[CorallineAlgae]

I'd use the coarse media pads from your filter manufacturer first, a blue bonded cut-to-fit filter pad or two above the coarse, plenty of bio-rings (I use the Fluval ceramic rings in a media bag for easy rinsing in tank water), a media bag with your own carbon, a bag of Purigen if you can fit it, and one last bonded filter pad at the top. This is only how I would set it up but I haven't used a Pen Plax canister filter. If you prefer to use the branded filter pads that's never bad, just a little bit pricier.

The emphasis should be on mechanical and biological filtration. Those fish get pretty big. Always rinse all your pads and bio media in used tank water, never tap. I'm sure you already knew that.

 

[manbeast]

what size tank is this pacu in? I hope that the tank is very large because the fish will be very shortly

 

[williamsaj1210]

Sadly he isn't yet. He is in a 32 gallon but I am closing the deal on a 130 gallon as we speak. Ive had this fish for 11 years since I was ten and his size hasn't gotten longer then 12 inches. Lately he has been getting sick so it led me to researching, which led me to realize there was so much I didn't know. I wish I had done this research so much sooner.

 

[CorallineAlgae]

Can't change the past but you're on the right path now man.

 

[manbeast]

we've all made mistakes in fact there was a thread about it, I think it was titled "worst fishkeeping sins" or something similar. might be a good read if you can find it, learning from other peoples mistakes is less costly than learning from the ones you have or may yet make, good luck

 

[williamsaj1210]

Thanks for telling me that and for all the help with the advice. I was reading about polishing sponges and wools. How beneficial are they? Worth it, or should I just stick with the course pads?

 

[CorallineAlgae]

The blue bonded cut-to-fit pads are polishing pads. You could always try poly-fill. It's a cottony polyester fiber that polishes water very well. It may get clogged pretty fast with a pacu. As long as you pack it in very loosely it should be fine. All these things make the water more clear by trapping smaller particles in the water but they slow down flow through the filter as they become full (dirty). I can't syphon my gravel because of all the plants so it's important to have it. If you can remove detritus by cleaning the gravel during water changes polishing pads are optional.

 

[williamsaj1210]

I decided on two biosponges, bioballs, and a poly-fill. I do PWC every other day and clean the gravel every time. I did make a huge mistake of not keeping the old filter running after starting the new one and started a mini cycle.