How do you stack your canister?

[JoelB]

I'll start. Mine has four trays (first tray is on the bottom).

First, course sponge and course pad, next ceramic bio media, then carbon, and then polishing pads.

 

[jbradt]

I have 2 baskets. The bottom one has quilt batting and a course sponge. The second has way more than necessary bio-media... the type that comes with Eheim's.

 

[BettaFishMommy]

Rena XP2, bottom basket has two of the coarser XP sponges and a couple of big handfuls of assorted different biomax, top basket has more biomax and topped with quilt batting.

 

[Cory Keeper]

C-160 is my filter.

Bottom is the first tray (its piped down and then back up), and is filled with course pads (OE), second is two Rena XP 30 PPI pads for second stage mech filtration, and then polyfill for clear water. I've found this combination works really well too.

 

[fineexampl]

Fluval 204
bio sponges on the one side where the water enters
(and from the bottom up)
pre-filter ceramic media
biomax
carbon/ammonia reducer mix
water polishing pads

 

[thrak76]

Marineland C-220 from the bottom:

coarse sponge
bio-balls
poly-fil
ceramic tubes
polishing pad

In my Fluval 205 from the bottom:

bio balls
ceramic tubes
poly fil
And one whole half of the canister is the coarse sponge that's included

 

[Chrisinator]

Rena XP2

From bottom: Coarse Filter Pad > Fine Filter Pad > Bio Media (and old sponges from AC 20) > Microfilter. Gonna add more biomedia though.

 

[MySpace Mike]

Jebao 912 4 stage Canister Filter - Bottom to the top baskets - #1 Biomax covered with Fiber Fill, #2 Carbon Pads, #3 more Fiber Fill, #4 Polishing Pad. Keeps my tank crystal clear.

 

[CWO4GUNNER]

Almost all basket filters today have water flowing from the bottom of the canister basket to the top motor lid housing where it get picked up. So its important to know the direction of flow, especially bottom flow canisters which can lift media up off its strainer and bypass since there in nothing for the media to support against except the next top basket strainer which usually has a large gap. So bottom flow canister owners consider this when packing trays.

The FX5 which beside having a superb 1st stage circumference filter before reaching the baskets also incorporates 3 large baskets separated by O-rings completely isolating them from one another and the rest of the canister except for the direction of proper water flow. Because it is a bottom pump motor design, canister water flows from top to bottom baskets pinning all media against the strainer using both water pressure and gravity which ensures no bypass (lifting media off its strainer) which cannot happen. It is a very well engineered designed and extremely effective.

 

[kyryah]

HA HA, prolly gonna get laughed at for this, but I just fill it with poly fiber. It keeps the water uber polished.

Kristina