media cost Fluval vs Filstar

[DLeung10]

Can anyone give me an estimate of the annual media costs
of a Fluval 304 or a Filstar XP2 ?

I have read that Filstars tend to clog up more often at the foam
pads. They need to be rinsed every 2-3 weeks ?

Fluvals are supposedly not truly "bypass free".

I have been told Eheim's can go 4-6 months before a cleaning
is needed. But the Ecco's are supposedly fragile as some people
have snapped the handle when starting the filter. The Pro II's
are excellent but pricey. The Classic models are messy because
there are no media baskets, or priming feature.

 

[Tyler718]

Originally posted by DLeung10
Can anyone give me an estimate of the annual media costs
of a Fluval 304 or a Filstar XP2 ?

Both of them come with the media in it so that is included in the initial purchase. I bought some bio balls and filter fiber for my Fluval when I first bought it. For the Filstar I had extra bioballs from my Fluval. Used small army men and filter fiber for the rest. I saved the carbon in each if I needed it to remove any meds.

Bio Balls- $20.00
Filter Fiber- $2.00
Army Men- $2.50
Clear Water- Priceless (Sorry I couldn't resist)

I have read that Filstars tend to clog up more often at the foam
pads. They need to be rinsed every 2-3 weeks ?

I clean mine every 2 weeks. If it needs it or not, but this is by personal preference. Not because it is clogged up. It is a long way for that.

 

[DLeung10]

Thanks Tyler718


From your experience and research, is there a difference whether
one uses "bio-max" ceramic noodles, bioballs, bio-chem stars,
cell-pore biioblox cubes ?

 

[DLeung10]

Tyler718,

If I buy the Filstar XP2:

Doesn't the Filstar foam pads ( 2 sets of two)have to be replaced every 3-4 months ?

Replace half of the Bio-Chem Stars every 6 months ?

The carbon every 2 months ?

The micro filtration pads once a month as they clog easily due to
the "fine" waste and sediment collected ?

This would cost about 125 dollars annually...Still cheaper than
changing my Penguin 330 pads every 2 weeks or so.

 

[125gJoe]

You can use bulk filter floss for canisters.

 

[Tyler718]

Originally posted by DLeung10
Doesn't the Filstar foam pads ( 2 sets of two)have to be replaced every 3-4 months ?

I don't replace mine. That is why I rinse mine in old tank water every 2-4 weeks. That keeps them from clogging and get to a point where you can't get all the debris out. If you replace them I would only do it MAYBE after 1 - 1 1/2 years.

Replace half of the Bio-Chem Stars every 6 months?The carbon every 2 months ?The micro filtration pads once a month as they clog easily due to the "fine" waste and sediment collected ??

That is why I went with Bio balls and ceramic noodles. They will work indefinitely. Just the initial investment. For the filtration pads. If that pad gets to point to where you can't get the debris out, buy filter fiber to replace it with. It's real cheap.

Carbon on the other hand is kind of contraversal (sp?) around here. There are 2 schools of thought on this. Some people feel that carbon needs to be in there, but I don't use carbon unless I'm trying to take meds out of the tank. If you decide to use it will loose it's effectiveness after 3-4 weeks. You can order large quanities of carbon online real cheap.

 

[beviking]

Hi DLeung10, I have an XP3. The micro filter pad I've never used. B4 I got this, I always used AC 300's with just sponges on my 55g tank. The water was always clear. IMO, the micro filter will just plug up too quickly.
You shouldn't need to replace the sponges as stated if you rinse them out every couple weeks. If I still used mine (I only have ceramic noodles in my XP3 now-Eheim Efimech is cheaper than Filstars noodles) I would probably only use the coarser sponges anyway.
I don't use carbon either unless removing medication from the water.
The problem with bio-media that has interior surfaces (like the stars or some noodles)is that these spaces clog and that's when you're suppose to replace them. If you buy solid noodles (like Efimech) the surface develops a film that will wash off, but there are no pores to get clogged with gunk that will decay and add to your bio-load.
I think, though not absolutely positive, that those filters going 4-6 months w/o maintenance are filled with the aforementioned noodles and not fine filtering media like sponges. Given that, the XP or Fluval could go as long as well. Once I get a pre-filter for my XP3, I'll only clean it once a month instead of twice.
Hope this helped and didn't confuse.