Cannister Filter Media

[FishAddict74]

A great attitude! I hope it works long term, I don't know your fish...

Thanks! I love this hobby, I’ve been in it one way or another since the 80s, but I change what I keep periodically lol

 

[Joplin]

Great info, thanks!
I like the idea of a coarse sponge in the cannister and maybe something covering the intake. I saw that Amazon has 2 inch think larger rectangle sponges that can be cut to fit your tray. Is that how most people get a sponge to fit right?

 

[FreshyFresh]

Great info, thanks!
I like the idea of a coarse sponge in the cannister and maybe something covering the intake. I saw that Amazon has 2 inch think larger rectangle sponges that can be cut to fit your tray. Is that how most people get a sponge to fit right?

I know in the case of my Eheim classic 350 and Penn-Plax Cascade 1500, I was able to mail order 6 packs of aftermarket coarse sponges that were made to fit. Just search for your particular filter on Amazon, eBay or the likes. Like you say, another option is buy the foam in bulk and cut your own.

 

[BrianP55]

I'm in the process of setting up a new 75 gallon tank and will be using a canister filter. This will be my first cannister filter and I'm not sure what to add as media. I have 3 trays and plan to use some of the white ceramic ring looking things (not sure what they are called) and lava rock. That gives me 1 tray left, I'd like something that will be more on the mechanical filter side of things for water clarity since the lava rock and ceramic rings are handlining the biological side. Am I on the right track?

I would select one type of biological support medium and use as much as possible. Any biological medium must be preceded by some form of mechanical filtration to prevent sludge from collecting on the surface and within the pores. For reasons I won't go into now, my favorite biological medium is Ehfisubstrat Pro. This should be preceded by at least a coarse and then a smaller pore sponge. You can use a third layer of polyester floss, but it will clog fairly rapidly. If you like carbon, place it in a bag at the tail end. When you clean your filter, assess the amount of sludge on the biological medium (rinse it with tank water) and adjust the porosity of the mechanical media accordingly.

 

[FreshyFresh]

I agree with with BrianP55 especially in a bare bottom tank or a heavily or overstocked tank w/ minimal substrate or decor.

Also, not all canisters run with a mechanical media upstream of bio. Eheim classics for example. In stock form they're run with ceramic rings first.

I used to feel the need for fancy bio medias, but in most cases, you can achieve the same result with sponge media in your canister. It's a mechanical and bio media all in one.

I've chatted with folks over the years who run all kinds of fancy bio medias and rotate portions out while boiling/cleaning the old with every canister cleaning.

I'm not saying that's wrong or necessary, but on the other hand, I've got bio media that's been in service for 8yrs and looks new.