How do YOU pack your canister filter?

[ryancarman.com]

me? from bottom to top (in the direction of flow)
layer one just floss,
layer two medium sponge
layer three coarse sponge under ceramic noodles
layer four ceramic noodles and a carbon pad

discuss!

[busdriver]

I have an xp3 and I basically put the media where it says to put it.

[beowulf]

Pretty much the same as busdriver, I am on my first canister and have had it for about 3 months or so now and I left it how it came.  Might change things as I go but happy so far.

[BigDaddy]

Not sure why you are putting your medium and course sponges AFTER your floss.  The floss should essentially pick up the smallest particles, so your medium and course sponges must be almost clean all the time.

Don't you think you should go course medium floss rings carbon?

[kennyman]

I totally support BD's recommendation on placement.

Mine is packed "Coarse sponge, fine sponge, floss, micro-pad."

From the bottom up so that heavy particles do not plug the fine media.

[Black Hair Algae]

Well, I have 3 filters. One canister filled with floss (mechanical), one canister wet/dry (bio) and a magnum 350 presently with carbon (removing medication) but soon to be changed to micron cartridge. I agree with what was previosuly said, if you are using 1 filter for all 3 functions, I would place the media as BD suggested.

Cheers!

[feral]

According to the instruction booklet?

I didn't know that sound-guys liked fish!

[ryancarman.com]

yeah point taken about the foam, however thats how they where when i got them (used) and they have been doing well since

[ryancarman.com]

I didn't know that sound-guys liked fish!

i'm a lighting guy

[darkdep]

I put in coarse sponge, floss, rings.  I don't generally use carbon (although am currently experimenting with Seachem Purigen).

For my Magnums, it's Micron cartridge with the foam pre-filter, and the biowheels do the biological.

[Iceman]

I put in coarse sponge, floss, rings.

Ditto. Nothing else.

[cory]

For my FX5 its coarse sponge (FX5 Pads), Carbon, and Biomax. Carbon is changed every month. Sometimes i dont bother using it, unless the water starts to smell.

[lucky777]

Like Darkdep I don't use and carbon or ammonia bags.  In my Fluvals I use the regular sponges and then for the baskets it would be:

Bottom:  Bio Max rings
Middle: Pillow Floss
Top:  Pillow Floss or sometimes crushed coral to help keep ph up

I have now been carbon free for at least a year.  What a waste of money.  Regular water changes weekly have kept the tanks healthy as can be.

[White Lightning]

That was a question that I was going to ask. Do you need to buy carbon if you are doing your weekly water changes? NO more carbon for me. How often should I be changing my media? I have a sixty gallon tank with about thirty inches of various gouramis. Fake plants and drift wood.

[Nerine]

I have a fluval and an ol proquatics canister...in the fluval I have the normal fluval sponges on the side, and then in the containers I have sponges on the bottom, then floss then ceramics. I just added carbon because I medicated the tank otherwise there isn't carbon.
in the proquatics I have sponge followed by finer sponge followed by floss and then ceramics and no carbon.

[sniggir]

I just follow the instuction I have 2 ehiems on ecco and one 2026 and I go:ecco, bottom course sponge, ceramic balls, ceramic balls, floss. for the 2026 course sponge, ceramic noodle, ceramic balls, filter foss, change 1/3 of media every 6 months, clean the course sponge every week when I do water changes and change the floss at the same time. seems to work well for me.. I love ehiems so far, the magnums are great a water polisher take out tons of sedement in the tanks I have 2 running on my 160 to clear the water up from the bomix I used for my substrate only took like 6 hours and the water went from milk to clear !!!

[sas]

I too have a fluval and just use sponges around the outside, ceramic rings on the bottom, peat granules in the middle(we're on well water and it's extremely hard) and then more sponges on the top. I did use carbon when the tank was first set up but don't use it unless I've had to use medication. I use peat granules in all my filters because of the hard water and just use nylons to make bags for it . Lots of rust colored water but the fish are happy

[darkdep]

Carbon isn't useless; it has it's purposes.  It's just not required as a regular component in most cases.

[sniggir]

for my sw tank I have carbon all the time