xp3 question

[cschilly]

So I picked up my craigslist find today... a 135 gallon tank. Boy that sucker is heavy.

It came with 2 rena xp3 filters but they threw all the filter media out before I came to pick it up. I've never had a Rena canister filter before. I see online that you can get media from Rena but is there something else I should be using? After I get the tank set up it will house about 20 african cichlids that are currently in my 55g while I look for a frontosa colony to buy. Right now I'm running a hob marineland with bio wheels and a magnum 350.

Any suggestions on what to use as media?

 

[Cory Keeper]

Yeah, fill it with the Foam 20 and Foam 30 pads, and the third tray for stars or better yet, ceramic rings and maybe polyfill.

 

[joel.uejio]

Yes, I use the AquaClear ceramic rings in my XP's b/c you get a lot more for the same price it seems (over Rena bio stars). Someone on here mentioned possibly even a better option -- get a big block of foam, cut it into small cubes, and use that for your bio filtration.

 

[cschilly]

So foam 20 in 1 tray, foam 30 in 1 tray, and rings in the 3rd?

 

[Chrisinator]

Well theres a coarse foam and a finer foam that usually stays in the bottom area. Then its the ceramic ring.
id do something like
1st tray: foams
2nd tray: foam and then some bio media
3rd tray: more media

 

[cschilly]

I picked up some crushed coral so I can keep the pH up. Is it ok to put the crushed coral in one of the trays? Maybe with the ceramic rings?

 

[CWO4GUNNER]

Congrats!

 

[cschilly]

Thanks Gunner! I'm pretty stoked about this tank! Hopefully I'll be able to get it set up this weekend and (fingers crossed) have a colony of fronts in a couple of weeks!