Can too much filter media have a negative effect?

[SteelersFan]

As a few of you know, I just got a sunsun hw-302 canister filter yesterday. I also got some filter pads and sponges to go with it. Now that it ran all yesterday, i opened it up to see what it looked like. It seems that the first layer of filter pad caught all the debris because the second filter pad is clean. Would it be beneficial to remove some filter pads to improve flow? Right now my first layer is 3 filter floss pads. My second layer is 2 filter sponges, and my third layer is bio ceramic rings. Would i be better of running 1 filter floss pad, 1 filter sponge, and more bio ceramic rings to improve flow?

 

[jcolon]

With this arrangement it doesn't surprise me the floss pads are getting clogged and the sponges cleaner. I'm Assuming in a Sun Sun the water moves from the bottom of the canister towards the top like in a fluval and the media baskets are stacked one on top the other.

If so, I'd switch the filter sponges to the bottom .. they have larger pore openings to let them trap more of the larger particles ... then your filter floss pads to trap the smaller particles and finally the ceramic media. Keeping the floss pads at the bottom will quickly clog as they'll trap practically everything reducing flow eventually.

A good alternative to the floss pads is 100% (no fire-retardants, dye's etc) Poly-fill you can buy at any arts / craft store, walmart, kmart etc. LFS do also see them ... albeit over priced. Go with one of the others stores. A 20oz bag (I use fairfield brand) for $5 -$6 can last you months. I used to run a Fluval 404 for my 75gal and would stuff two of the media baskets with polyfill. I still use them in all my Aqua Clears.

 

[SteelersFan]

The wierd thing is, its the top filter floss that is getting dirty, while the floss and sponges lower down are clean. It seems backwards to me.

 

[jcolon]

Ok.. So it sounds like the water from the input is first coming in contact with the top basket, then filters down before going back up in the output. Try putting the sponges at the top... You really can't go wrong switching it up.