Hello I am an extreme newbie, I have a 40 gallon tank, and i just got a SunSun canister filter that has 3 trays and only came with three white filters. I have been reading and watching youtube videos trying to understand everything and find sufficient media for as inexpensive as possible because I am a student.
1. I read about using plastic pot scrubbers from the dollar store, would that go in my third tray for housing beneficial bacteria.
2. I also read about lava rocks from walmart, would that go in the second tray or third tray for housing beneficial bacteria and would i just place in as many as i can fit or would I need to break them up and place them in a bag?
3. I also read about using terra cotta pots, so would i break those up and put them in a bag and that could possibly be used in my second or third tray to house beneficial bacteria?
4. In the first tray I was thinking of using a cut to fit carbon filter pad and behind it use a cut to fit quilt batting
5. I was also thinking I might still need a course sponge in the first tray but I have no idea what to get, I think I have read something about car wash sponges or industrial sponges you can get from lowes.
6. I also heard of people using green scotch brite pads, but I have no idea what they were being used for
Now i have tried to narrow down ideas of how I would set up my canister, it filters from bottom to top.
Tray 1 (TOP): plastic scrubbers
Tray 2(MIDDLE): a layer of quilt batting with ceramic rings on top (since there is know way of knowing which is the better lava rock (i was told that some are harmful) and I was told terra cotta pots were not good
Tray 3 (BOTTOM):first a scotch brite scour pad, then a carbon filter pad, topped with a layer of quilt batting (also any opinions on options to use other than carbon; i have read so much about how it is not necessary, runs out quick, and if you dont change it fast enough then it will leech chemicals into your tank. its mainly the leeching part that bothers me.
Any suggestions would be helpful and I would like to keep the cost down as much as possible. I would also love any tips on cheaper ways to get other things or the things that I have listed.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my post and any all suggestions are welcome if you think of something else I havent considered or the best way to use some of the options I listed.
1. I read about using plastic pot scrubbers from the dollar store, would that go in my third tray for housing beneficial bacteria.
2. I also read about lava rocks from walmart, would that go in the second tray or third tray for housing beneficial bacteria and would i just place in as many as i can fit or would I need to break them up and place them in a bag?
3. I also read about using terra cotta pots, so would i break those up and put them in a bag and that could possibly be used in my second or third tray to house beneficial bacteria?
4. In the first tray I was thinking of using a cut to fit carbon filter pad and behind it use a cut to fit quilt batting
5. I was also thinking I might still need a course sponge in the first tray but I have no idea what to get, I think I have read something about car wash sponges or industrial sponges you can get from lowes.
6. I also heard of people using green scotch brite pads, but I have no idea what they were being used for
Now i have tried to narrow down ideas of how I would set up my canister, it filters from bottom to top.
Tray 1 (TOP): plastic scrubbers
Tray 2(MIDDLE): a layer of quilt batting with ceramic rings on top (since there is know way of knowing which is the better lava rock (i was told that some are harmful) and I was told terra cotta pots were not good
Tray 3 (BOTTOM):first a scotch brite scour pad, then a carbon filter pad, topped with a layer of quilt batting (also any opinions on options to use other than carbon; i have read so much about how it is not necessary, runs out quick, and if you dont change it fast enough then it will leech chemicals into your tank. its mainly the leeching part that bothers me.
Any suggestions would be helpful and I would like to keep the cost down as much as possible. I would also love any tips on cheaper ways to get other things or the things that I have listed.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my post and any all suggestions are welcome if you think of something else I havent considered or the best way to use some of the options I listed.
