Media stacking in a canister filter

[NorCalAl]

I'm using an XP2 on my 65g and wanted some opinions on the media stack I am using since the last filter change. From bottom to top (which goes with the flow of water) it's 4 layers of foam (which fill the first media basket), then about 2" of ceramic media followed by 1 more sheet of foam and finally a bag of carbon and zoolite. The filter is used in my (now) primarily discus tank. It's pretty heavily planted as well.
I was trying for a balance of stuff to clean/polish the water and to provide media for bio-filtering.
Good? Bad? Crazy?

 

[Lonewolfblue]

I'd take out the carbon and zeolite if it's a planted tank. It will remove valuable nutrients that the plants need. Also, carbon, no matter what brand you get, only lasts a week anyways. Here's what I have in my XP2:

Lower basket: 2 coarse sponges, 2 medium sponges
Upper basket: ceramic rings in the bottom, filter floss in the top, covered by the white fine filter pad.

 

[justrelax]

carbon or not, that white fine filter (or "water polisher" i think the instructions say), should be at the top of the stack, right?

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Correct. The fine pad is the last item the water goes through before exiting the cannister.

 

[NorCalAl]

OK, good call. I'll leave the carbon in for the weekend, which will give me a chance to get a new pad. Thanks all!