RENA XP4 QUESTIONS

bert

bert

ENJOYING THE HIGH DESERT OF NEVADA
Nov 2, 2003
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I just bought a Rena XP4 for my 100 Gallon to replace my magnum 350. We just moved to a new home and I have yet to restart my tank but want to be very choosey at what kind of setup I want to run. Any tips you may have about the Rena XP4 filters would be appreciated as I have never owned one of these. is there anything i should know like how to correctly fill the 4 media baskets ? I know the coarse pads go on the bottom and the fine pad goes up on top. My questions are the middle baskets which have a divider in each one. I am thinking the divider is to put on top of the bio-media to keep it in place however, the drawing on the box shows media both on the bottom & on top of the divider but the instructions don't. can you experienced XP filter owners tell me what method works best to fill the center baskets and what kinds of bio-media do you use ? Mine came with some stars. Also, the bio-chem zorb, is that used in place of regular carbon ? My independant fish dealer sells rena filstars but says you CANNOT get parts for them is this true ?
bert
 
Thanks, is that bio-chemzorb the same thing as carbon ? Mine has 4 baskets and each has a divider in the center, is the bio media suppossed to be under the divider only or on top and bottom of the divider ? I asked my independant dealer if she carried rena parts and she said she can't get them, petsmart/petco, the same thing i guess they can be ordered through rena themselves. I hope.
 
You can get biomedia anywhere. Do not worry about the biochemsorb. It is a carbon and maybe ammonia combination similar to the marineland ammocarb combo if I have judged it right from its appearance. Biomedia is any such that will fit into a basket. I use bioballs, plastic pot scrubbers and even the ceramic media in various combinations in my Rena filters. The beauty of a well designed canister is that you get to use whatever media will go into a basket and do what you want done. My focus is to coarse filter the water to keep the rest of the media clean, then provide lots of biofilter and, like MGamer, finish up with a fine polishing filter. As you fill your baskets, use the extra dividers to separate different media within a basket if you only have enough to partially fill a basket. I find that I have a few left over dividers because some of my baskets get a complete fill and don't need a divider.
 
OK I see, the dividers don't have to be in the baskets if the basket is full, that makes more sense. I was thinking the divider was used to keep things in place so they wouldn't end up where they didn't belong. The XP4 has 4 baskets and checking the rena packets at petco, they want around $8 for one and the box says to use 1 pouch for each 55 gallons, I could get the marineland black diamond carbon and put it inside a filter bag cheaper than that. the stars that came with the filter were only a few so i will need to buy some other kind of bio-media. since i am new to this canister filter stuff, whats the best long term bio-media to put in those baskets and how much is needed for a 100 Gal. F/W ?
 
My XP4 is set up like this (from top to bottom):

Seachem Matrix
Fluval Bio-Max and Filstar Biostars
Seachem Purigen
1 Foam 20 sponge
2 Foam 30 sponges
2 Foam 20 sponges

There's a lot of versatility with XP* filters. I like 'em. I also like the Bio-Chem Zorb. It cleans the water very nicely. But I stopped using it in order to go with Purigen since it's rechargable.
 
Do whatever you like. I have a heavily planted tank...so If I had the xp4 id do this...

bottom fill it with coarse foam, next basket fill in with fine foam, next basket bio media of your choice,last basket more bio media then the separator then very fine filter material such as floss or buy fine white filter pads in bulk then cut them to size and top it off with a bunch to fill the basket.
Only thing you cant reuse for many years is the fine filter material as it doesnt really wash out well. Do not wash your bio media or leave it to dry while cleaning the bottom two baskets. Leave that basket in the canister while you clean the rest and replace the fine filter pads.

My xp3 is set a little bit different as my fine filter pads are before the bio media basket which is positioned last so less particulates gather on it, but I have one basket less too!
 
Thanks for the setup plan, I should completly fill the basket with the bio-media and leave the seperator out on the main bio-media basket then ? I am happy i got the XP4 for that extra basket.
 
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