What do you have in the middle and top baskets of your filters? What is the best to polish the water?
Thanks
Thanks
XP3 Users
- Thread starter seajays
- Start date
I keep filter floss in all the 3 baskets, with activated charcoal in second one and zeolite in the top one for ammonia control. Lower basket has a sponge and more filter floss.
For polishing water I think you want to make it look clear. The charcoal changed at periodic intervals should do the task. The best way to keep the water cristal clear is a sand filter, but it's not usefull or neccesary unless you are keeping a 500+ gallon tank.
Why is your water not clear? If it's on a new tank, you may have not completer the cycling proccess. There's is a sticky thread about this
For polishing water I think you want to make it look clear. The charcoal changed at periodic intervals should do the task. The best way to keep the water cristal clear is a sand filter, but it's not usefull or neccesary unless you are keeping a 500+ gallon tank.
Why is your water not clear? If it's on a new tank, you may have not completer the cycling proccess. There's is a sticky thread about this
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I haven't started cylcing my tank yet, so right now my Xp3 looks like this:
Top
-Micro foam (white one)
-Empty
Middle
-Empty
-Fine foam
Bottom
-Fine foam (stuff that came with it)
-Coarse foam (some I bought, the 30 grade or something)
Once I start cycling, I'll but ceramic rings in the top of the middle basket and the Phos-zorb puch that came with it in the bottom of the top basket.
Top
-Micro foam (white one)
-Empty
Middle
-Empty
-Fine foam
Bottom
-Fine foam (stuff that came with it)
-Coarse foam (some I bought, the 30 grade or something)
Once I start cycling, I'll but ceramic rings in the top of the middle basket and the Phos-zorb puch that came with it in the bottom of the top basket.
I have an XP 2. I use polyester fiberfill in addition to the 2 grades of black filtration foam.
The charcoal will neutralize meds or chemicals if needed, but not really needed for filtration if you have the sponges and floss. It needs changed frequently and I don't use it, nor the zeolite. If you have a properly cycled tank, you don't need the ammonia control.
In the 2 baskets I have on the XP 2, I have 2 coarse foam pads and 1 fine one on the bottom with a little fiberfill, and in the second I have biostars and fiberfill, and then I top off with the second finer foam sponge to be sure none of the fiberfill goes up in the inpeller. the white filter pad wore out early and I didn't replace, just rely in the fiberfill for fine filtration. It even pulled the brown color out of the water I had from my driftwood.
I use plain craft fiberfill in the bag from Walmart. Cheaper than buying from fish stores. I just toss it when I clean my filter, but rinse the sponges in treated water and reuse.
When I set up my new 75, I plan to get an xp3, and plan to arrange in a similar manner. I did get some ceramic rings, and will split these up between both filters, and split the biostars between both too.
The charcoal will neutralize meds or chemicals if needed, but not really needed for filtration if you have the sponges and floss. It needs changed frequently and I don't use it, nor the zeolite. If you have a properly cycled tank, you don't need the ammonia control.
In the 2 baskets I have on the XP 2, I have 2 coarse foam pads and 1 fine one on the bottom with a little fiberfill, and in the second I have biostars and fiberfill, and then I top off with the second finer foam sponge to be sure none of the fiberfill goes up in the inpeller. the white filter pad wore out early and I didn't replace, just rely in the fiberfill for fine filtration. It even pulled the brown color out of the water I had from my driftwood.
I use plain craft fiberfill in the bag from Walmart. Cheaper than buying from fish stores. I just toss it when I clean my filter, but rinse the sponges in treated water and reuse.
When I set up my new 75, I plan to get an xp3, and plan to arrange in a similar manner. I did get some ceramic rings, and will split these up between both filters, and split the biostars between both too.
I have the following:
bottom ... sponges that came with it
middle... Eheim substrate and 1 filter floss
top... Eheim substrate and 1 filter floss
I would like to get better water polishing.
bottom ... sponges that came with it
middle... Eheim substrate and 1 filter floss
top... Eheim substrate and 1 filter floss
I would like to get better water polishing.
Top to bottom:
top box: Micro filter pad
Charcoal baggie
second box: filter floss
Bottom box.. 4 filter sponges
Intake: reverse outflow sponge
Note the reverse outflow sponge.. I have them on all my filters and powerheads, and despite having very messy plecos, they really keep the water polished crystal.. Can't reccomend them enough
top box: Micro filter pad
Charcoal baggie
second box: filter floss
Bottom box.. 4 filter sponges
Intake: reverse outflow sponge
Note the reverse outflow sponge.. I have them on all my filters and powerheads, and despite having very messy plecos, they really keep the water polished crystal.. Can't reccomend them enough
seajays said:
They sell them for people with undergravel filters. It's really just a medium dense cylinder sponge, with a hole running through it. Check your LFS or online for em. 5-7 bucks per, and slip them over the intakes on all your water moving items. Don't worry about the kits, if you already have HOB filters or power heads or a canister, you just need the sponge...
Big Al has em, but I've never paid more than 7 for one, and that includes shipping...
http://bigalsonline.ca/catalog/product.xml?product_id=26115&category_id=3177&pcid1=1971
What exactly IS filter floss? A fine type of sponge? Something I obviously don't know about? I see it mentioned all the time but I've never bothered to ask :laugh:seajays said:
Also, I just put in the ceramic rings, but I put them in the bottom of the top basket instead of the top of the middle, as per the instructions on the package. I don't see any difference :huh:
