Filter Media

[thekarens]

I want to add some more media to my Rena XP3 and need some suggestions of what has worked well for you or combinations of media that has worked well.

[troy tucker]

I use everything from Bio balls to Pot scrubers. matrex works good.

[SunnyHouTX]

Seachem Matrix or Kaldnes K1.

[KhmerStyle]

Fluval biomax go to petmountain.com and print out their price. Petsmart will price match

[mnemenoi]

Fluval Biomax, Eheim Substrat, sponges (various densities), Purigen. We immediately remove the carbon from all out filtration systems and replace with either biological or mechanical. What are you trying to achieve? Issues with water quality? Mechanical, Biological, or Chemical? About the only thing that Carbon is good at is removing medicine and acting as bio surface. It can also leach Nitrates from the water column, but eventually become saturated and begin exuding it back in there by becoming a Nitrate sink.

[thekarens]

I'm not trying to achieve anything in particular. I've decided I'm not enjoying my African cichlids and want to re-do the tank. I'd like some easy to grow low light plants and new fish. I figured while I was at it I'd clean the filter and add/change media.

I appreciate all the responses.

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[mnemenoi]

If you have any intent on dosing root tabs or any ferts at all, I would avoid carbon as it indiscriminately draws them out of the water column. Good Luck and hope it all goes well

[thekarens]

Thanks! I appreciate the advice!

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[mistahoo]

Fluval Biomax, Eheim Substrat, sponges (various densities), Purigen. We immediately remove the carbon from all out filtration systems and replace with either biological or mechanical. What are you trying to achieve? Issues with water quality? Mechanical, Biological, or Chemical? About the only thing that Carbon is good at is removing medicine and acting as bio surface. It can also leach Nitrates from the water column, but eventually become saturated and begin exuding it back in there by becoming a Nitrate sink.

+1 No carbon for planted tanks. Also since the Rena XP3 trays are boxy, the Biomax, Substrat Pro, Seachem Matrix (reg not pond), K1, or K2 would all be great choices. If you're looking for price efficient, plastic pot scrubbers are the cheapest and the biggest bang for your buck. Biomax is a little more pricey, but cheaper than the others and works well. IMO it's all preference. They all host a great amount of bacteria, though it seems like the Kaldness media works much better in a fluidized moving bed filter than a canister,