Media Suggestions XP3

[hyunelan2]

I received my Rena Filstar XP3 2 days ago. I need media for it. Currently in my Magnum 250s I just have the blue pads and some ceramic cylindars with filter floss in it. I've been looking and there are a ton of options for putting media into this monster. Does anyone have suggestions (also saying in which basket you might put the media you suggest would be helpful).
^
^ Flow
[_] Basket 3
[_] Basket 2
[_] Basket 1
^
^

 

[yav1n]

it depends on what you have in your other filter or filter(s). And what type of fish you are keeping size of tank etc.
My general rule is bigger media on the bottom and the chemical toward top.
so at the bottom I would put ceramic. middle either foam filter or floss etc.Top, some kind of charcoal or chemical. I am actually looking at getting one I have a fluval that died. There are many people who have the same filter as you and reccomended the xp3 to me. WHat I have done with my canister is used it more as a trap. Ceramic and foam and less chemical. And my 2 other filters have charcoal on the top. I am sure there are others with better advice who have the same filter but i thought I would respond since no one has yet. Good luck

 

[Panther28]

I dont have much in it. but here goes. 1st basket actually comes with the 2 foams. 2nd basket i have put chem star for biological filtration and activated corbon. Then in the 3rd i have chem zorb which came with the filter and a foam on top. thats it. Most people dont put activated corbon but I did to clear some impurities not sure what exactly though. in second basket you can put ceramic rings or chem star. I had some so I put them in.

 

[hyunelan2]

I'm pretty sure I'll put the foam pad 20 and foam pad 30 in the bottom basket. Some type of ceramic or other biological filtration pieces in the 2nd. The third I was thinking of just stuffing with filter floss. I don't want to use carbon, as I dose chemicals for plant ferts, that I do not want taken out of the water.

Just not sure about the top basket really. Also, the water polishing pads on top - do they cut down on the flow much? I was considering those, and the benefits are nice, but I know the water polishing pads on my magnums are easily clogged.

 

[JustOneMore20]

The instructions that came with my XP3 said put mechanical filtration on the bottom (foam 20 and 30), biological in the middle and chemical on the top. (I think...or maybe someone told me where to put stuff)....Anywho...this is how mine is:

I have the 2 foams in the bottom basket, in the middle I have bio-chem stars and some filter floss (has 2 compartments), and in the top I have the microfiltration pad and some filter floss, since I don't use chemical media.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Basket 1:
Lower half - 2 coarse sponges (supplied with filter)
Upper half - 2 medium sponges (supplied with filter)

Basket 2:
Lower basket - Ceramic Cylinders
Upper basket - Lava granules

Basket 3:
Lower basket - Filter Floss
Upper basket - Filter Floss topped with 1 micro pad that's supplied with the filter