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  • #1

    Canister Filter Media

    Hello All,
    I've been spending the last couple of months taking in knowledge from everyone trying to setup my tank. I just purchased 2 canister filters, Eheim 2217 and Rena XP3. The Rena has no media, and the 2217 has some media, but it's probably better to change it out.

    My question is, should I go out and buy the media that orginally came with each canister or can I use some other combintation of filter material to put in? I was told from some people that I can put the little plastic circular pipes with some white fiber material and that would do the job.

    Thanks in advance for your valuable input!

    Thomas
    300g - Petrochromis Texas "Red Fin" Longola, Petrochromis Red Bulu, Tropheus Red Rainbow Kansanga.
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Re: Canister Filter Media

    Think outside the box, as they say. I'm using decorative lava rocks in my 2217's on the bottom 1/3rd of the tank, in the middle I have some of those little coco puffs, and on the top half, I place a single Chem Pur Pak with a cotton like substance that I believe is polyester batting.....it's that 2 tone Blue/white filter media that is sold all over town.....

    CF
    Truth is the cement that holds the bricks and stones of a sane and civilized society together. Remove the former and the latter will crumble.

    Comment

    • #3
      Re: Canister Filter Media

      The pipes don't hold as much real estate and normally used as one of the first media to be in the canister and then something more fine.


      I personally like to use the Eheim Ehfisubstrat Pro... best stuff I have ever seen/use.
      700g Mini-Monster tank

      Comment

      • #4
        Re: Canister Filter Media

        You can do as you have stated... but I would like to suggest that you buy some Seachem Matrix. I have had great success using this product and you can get it from online retailers much cheaper than your LFS. I think a few weeks back, www.bigalsonline.com had a 4L container for around $24.99 bucks. Unfortunately, now it's back to regular price which at $29.00 is still much cheaper than anywhere locally. I have provided a link for you below:

        Big Als - Seachem Matrix

        Comment

        • #5
          Re: Canister Filter Media

          you need a foam or cloth or white fiber material to stop suspended solids from passing through.  Any thing will work, some do a better job to start but clog up faster, some last longer but they let small stuff through initally.  Your choice.  I like the poly fill that comes out of $1.99 pillows

          You need something with a lot of surface area for the nitrifying bacteria to hang on to.  Doesn't mater if its ceramic or plastic, beads, balls, cylinders or astrick shaped pieces.  All that counts is how much surface area it provides.  Some people even chop up plastic straws in 1" long pieces and it works.

          Also some use a third layer of Peat to soften the water or charcoal to filter out disolved gasses.  But you have to remove the charcoal if you medicate the tank.
          So it is to your advantage to put it a bag or in the toe of an old stocking for easy removal.

          Basicly, there is no wrong answer, its just that some are less expensive and some require more maintaince.  Try what you have, it you don't like it try something else.  
          'Dear Lord,' the minister began, with arms extended toward heaven and a rapturous look on his upturned face. 'Without you, we are but dust ...'
          He would have continued but at that moment my very obedient daughter who was listening leaned over to me and asked quite audibly in her shrill little four-year old girl voice, 'Mom, what is butt dust?'

          Comment

          • #6
            Re: Canister Filter Media

            You guys are awsome! I appreciate the advice. If anyone has anymore, keep'em coming.
            300g - Petrochromis Texas "Red Fin" Longola, Petrochromis Red Bulu, Tropheus Red Rainbow Kansanga.

            Comment

            • #7
              Re: Canister Filter Media

              I was actually going to ask this question as I plan to buy a new 2217 for my future tank. You beat me to it!   I know it will come with media but if I ever needed to change it out I wanted to know what to use. There are a lot of good suggestions here. I will probably do what I am doing in my Aqua Clears right now (coarse sponge, polyester fiber batting, and ceramic biomedia) or actually splurge and buy the Eheim stuff. Btw does the peat actually work and how much does it soften the water? I have got really hard tap water. I end up with white deposits all over my glass that is hard to remove.  :?

              P.S.- I don't mean to steal your thread tbui1178.
              -Laura-

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              • #8
                Re: Canister Filter Media

                I only use a coarse sponge and try to keep it minimal.

                Mostly bio-media.

                PP, I work with a guy name Pete... don't think he will fit in my canister though. He might clean them for me though.

                P.s. New Eheim classics come packed with everything you need.
                700g Mini-Monster tank

                Comment

                • #9
                  Re: Canister Filter Media

                  Yes, Driftwood, peat and organic material (Almond Leaves / banana leaves / oak leaves) will lower your pH.  They also leach tannins and chemicals that are antiseptic, antibiotic or whatever... they help keep your fish healthy.   They also make the water brown....   (verry small suspended organic material)
                  Almond Leaves
                  Tea Tree Oil  
                  Peat in the Aquarium
                  'Dear Lord,' the minister began, with arms extended toward heaven and a rapturous look on his upturned face. 'Without you, we are but dust ...'
                  He would have continued but at that moment my very obedient daughter who was listening leaned over to me and asked quite audibly in her shrill little four-year old girl voice, 'Mom, what is butt dust?'

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Re: Canister Filter Media

                    FuzzyDragon - No problem, where all here to share and learn.

                    I have a water softner in my home, so all the water that goes in my tank will be softened. Is that sufficient soft water so that pete or any other stuff will not be required to soften the water?
                    300g - Petrochromis Texas "Red Fin" Longola, Petrochromis Red Bulu, Tropheus Red Rainbow Kansanga.

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Re: Canister Filter Media

                      African Chiclids like hard [s:27caf27b0a]acid[/s:27caf27b0a] alkaline water (houston tap water).
                      Rain Forest fish like soft acid water (SE Asia and S & Central America).
                      Tank raised fish are somewhere in the middle.

                      Research your fish and see what they like, try not to mix hard & soft water fishes.

                      Test your water when it comes out of the tap and 24 hours later.  Know what you've got.

                      Your water softner will not make the same quality of water as my R/O system but then you don't keep endangered wild rain forest bettas. pH=5.5, DH < 10
                      'Dear Lord,' the minister began, with arms extended toward heaven and a rapturous look on his upturned face. 'Without you, we are but dust ...'
                      He would have continued but at that moment my very obedient daughter who was listening leaned over to me and asked quite audibly in her shrill little four-year old girl voice, 'Mom, what is butt dust?'

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Re: Canister Filter Media

                        Originally posted by PhishPhreek";p="
                        Yes, Driftwood, peat and organic material (Almond Leaves / banana leaves / oak leaves) will lower your pH.  They also leach tannins and chemicals that are antiseptic, antibiotic or whatever... they help keep your fish healthy.   They also make the water brown....   (verry small suspended organic material)
                        Almond Leaves
                        Tea Tree Oil  
                        Peat in the Aquarium
                        How brown is brown? Does it eventually go away? I looked at your links and the peat looks kinda complicated. What if I just put in some driftwood that wasn't boiled? Would that release the good tannins? Would it make the water more brown than if I used peat? Do you use almond leaves on a daily basis or just to treat?

                        Sorry I have alot of questions.
                        -Laura-

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          Re: Canister Filter Media

                          How brown depends on how much organic material you have decaying in you tank.   Hard woods decay very slowly, soft woods less slowly, Peat & leaves fairly rapidly.
                          The brown gets darker with age.  But I have been able to filter it out with a diatom filter.
                          I don't expect driftwood releases much tannins as it decays so slowly
                          You can buy liquid extracts (tea made from the leaves) and all you have to do is pour it in the tank - ie Amazon Rain Blackwater extract and others
                          I add almond leaves to my makeup water barrel so when I do a water change it's already there.  I place an almond leaf in my 10g spawn tank berore I add the fish.  I put half an almond leaf in a 1g jar with injured or sick bettas.  But I rairly have sick bettas.
                          'Dear Lord,' the minister began, with arms extended toward heaven and a rapturous look on his upturned face. 'Without you, we are but dust ...'
                          He would have continued but at that moment my very obedient daughter who was listening leaned over to me and asked quite audibly in her shrill little four-year old girl voice, 'Mom, what is butt dust?'

                          Comment

                          • #14
                            Re: Canister Filter Media

                            There's all kinds of things you can put into that filter.

                            YOu just need to be careful on the use of some makeshift media, lots of plastic material is solvent cleaned, and sometimes contains stuff that is not safe for aquatic life, and some plastics are equipped to not allow bacteria to cling onto thier surfaces.

                            Personally, I like all of your ceramic style media, and Mechanical Foams.

                            The purpose of the filter is too really make the water be clean and toxin free.  In order to do that you need mechanical media fine and coarse, and then something in there to make lots of surface area.  You need this surface area because you will loose lots of bacteria during a waterchange from off the glass, substrate, and decorations.

                            One last thing, African Cichlids do not like Acidic Water.  They want alkaline water that is hard.
                            380G For Sale $3000 Acrylic tank & stand
                            300G Petrochromis Trewavasae and Tropheus mpimbwe Red Cheek & Duboisi
                            180G For Sale $1,100 Oceanic Cherry with Stand, T5HO Lights, (2) Eheim 2262
                            150G Tropheus Annectens Kekese & Ikola

                            Comment

                            • #15
                              Re: Canister Filter Media

                              Thanks Geoff - my fauxpas
                              sometimes my head is a line a head of my fingers.
                              'Dear Lord,' the minister began, with arms extended toward heaven and a rapturous look on his upturned face. 'Without you, we are but dust ...'
                              He would have continued but at that moment my very obedient daughter who was listening leaned over to me and asked quite audibly in her shrill little four-year old girl voice, 'Mom, what is butt dust?'

                              Comment

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