DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
---------------------------------------------------------
Tank Talk
HTML https://tanktalk.createaforum.com
---------------------------------------------------------
*****************************************************
DIR Return to: Equipment
*****************************************************
#Post#: 1098--------------------------------------------------
Canister filter setup
By: PaulMartin61 Date: October 4, 2014, 10:58 am
---------------------------------------------------------
I'm currently in the market for a canister filter.
I do tons of research before making any purchase, yet I'm unable
to find a clear answer to my query.
What is the proper load out of a canister filter.
I've seen many with the bio media on the bottom, and others
where the media is next to the top of the canister.
Video's of 'unboxing', right from the manufacturer have all the
'heavy' materials (bio balls/carbon) at the bottom, and filter
pads at the top.
How do you load your canister?
Paul
#Post#: 1108--------------------------------------------------
Re: Canister filter setup
By: tim1126az Date: October 4, 2014, 5:46 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Depends on the flow of that particular model...some (most), flow
from the bottom up...load out on these guy would be as follows:
bottom tray:
coarse sponge
medium sponge
fine sponge
Middle tray:
Bio Media of choice
Top tray:
fine sponge (polishing sponge)
Chemical Media (Purigen, carbon, ammo chips, etc.)
If there's more trays, I load more bio
4-5 trays= 3 middle trays of bio
If the model flows top down, just reverse the chemical tray and
sponge tray...pretty much bio stays in the middle...
What canister are you looking at, btw?
#Post#: 1109--------------------------------------------------
Re: Canister filter setup
By: Stu4648 Date: October 4, 2014, 6:14 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Largely depends on the filter whether the water is coming in the
top and being pumped out the bottom or vice versa. In my
canister filter, a Fluval 406, the water passes through some
coarse foam pads for basic mechanical filtration and then passes
through a series of trays from the bottom upwards. The usual
pathway is coarse mechanical to remove large waste particles,
then fine mechanical to remove small waste particles followed by
biological to provide a large surface area for denitrification
bacteria to accumulate and do their thing and finally chemical
(if used) to remove impurities and other potentially harmful
(and some not so harmful) substances from the water.
Fluval Recommends:
Bottom - Fine Mechanical; Pre-Filter or Biofoam
Second - Biological; Biomax
Third - Chemical; Carbon or Nitrate Removal + Polishing Pad
Top - Chemical; Carbon or Nitrate Removal + Polishing Pad
I think the manufacturers like you to use a lot of chemical
filtration as this media needs to be changed frequently leading
to them making more money. Therefore I use this setup:
Bottom - Fine Mechanical; Pre-Filter
Second - Fine Mechanical; Biofoam
Third - Biological; Biomax
Top - Chemical; Carbon or Nitrate Removal + Polishing Pad
Although I plan to upgrade to this the next time I strip down
the filter:
Bottom - Fine Mechanical; Pre-Filter
Second - Biological; Seachem Matrix
Third - Biological; Biomax
Top - Biological; Biomax + Polishing Pad
The advantage of this setup is that the bottom 2 trays never
need to be replaced and the top 2 only need to be replaced
annually (Fluval recommend every 4 - 6 months but again that is
just their way of making a few extra quid / dollars). I Will
probably replace more of the Biomax with Matrix if it proves its
worth. I only add polishing pads to prevent any debris from the
biological media getting sucked into the impeller and possibly
damaging the motor, as their water polishing abilities are
pretty limited.
#Post#: 1125--------------------------------------------------
Re: Canister filter setup
By: plindsey88 Date: October 5, 2014, 1:39 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=PaulMartin61 link=topic=197.msg1098#msg1098
date=1412438300]
I'm currently in the market for a canister filter.
I do tons of research before making any purchase, yet I'm unable
to find a clear answer to my query.
What is the proper load out of a canister filter.
I've seen many with the bio media on the bottom, and others
where the media is next to the top of the canister.
Video's of 'unboxing', right from the manufacturer have all the
'heavy' materials (bio balls/carbon) at the bottom, and filter
pads at the top.
How do you load your canister?
Paul
[/quote]
The first key is to identify the flow of water through the
filter. Different canisters have different flow patterns, but
generally speaking this is what makes the most sense to me...
(1) Coarse foam to remove large particulates. These pads should
have large openings so they do not clog up when the water first
enters the filter carrying all manner of large debris.
(2) I like to follow the course foam with a slightly finer foam
pad to remove the smaller particulates like sand, small pieces
of uneaten food, etc. These smaller pieces of debris can clog
up the pores in your biologic filtration media if they are not
removed. Those pores are designed to provide additional surface
area for bacterial growth, and clogging them up with small bits
of sand and food decreases the overall media efficiency. This
completes the majority of the mechanical filtration, which
definitely needs to happen first.
(3) The next stage should be biologic filtration media. You
have to feed the beneficial bacteria, and placing chemical
filtration before biological filtration robs the beneficial
bacteria of that funkiness that they deserve.
(4) Next would be the chemical filtration that you use to remove
things like the excess nitrates generated by the biologic
filtration process, misc. organics that are not removed by the
biologic process, and any other impurities you want to get rid
off before pumping the water back into the tank. For me, I
always use three products in my chemical chamber - a Seachem Bag
of Hypersorb, a Seachem Bag of Purigen, and a bunch of loose (or
sometimes bagged) Seachem De*Nitrate Gravel.
(5) In most cases, you will see a super fine polishing foam
after the chemical filtration which is intended to catch really
small particles that may have come off of your biologic or
chemical media before the water gets pumped back into the tank.
The primary purpose of this last little bit of mechanical
filtration is to protect the impeller from the really fine
particles that can wear out the operable pieces of the pump that
handles pushing the water back into the tank.
Hope that helps... I've never had any issues with that
configuration...
#Post#: 1150--------------------------------------------------
Re: Canister filter setup
By: tim1126az Date: October 5, 2014, 3:42 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
There you go PM, 3 good, very similar answers...Should have no
issues setting that thing up brother... 8)
#Post#: 1153--------------------------------------------------
Re: Canister filter setup
By: PaulMartin61 Date: October 5, 2014, 4:03 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Excellent stuff there folks, thanks so very much.
As long as I know the direction of flow for what every canister
I end up purchasing, I now feel confident I'll set it up
correctly.
Thanks again!!
I was looking to go with one of the SunSun filters, yet I think
I'm more leaning towards a Hydro Pro series.
Paul
#Post#: 1156--------------------------------------------------
Re: Canister filter setup
By: plindsey88 Date: October 5, 2014, 7:41 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=PaulMartin61 link=topic=197.msg1153#msg1153
date=1412543000]
Excellent stuff there folks, thanks so very much.
As long as I know the direction of flow for what every canister
I end up purchasing, I now feel confident I'll set it up
correctly.
Thanks again!!
I was looking to go with one of the SunSun filters, yet I think
I'm more leaning towards a Hydro Pro series.
Paul
[/quote]
For what it is worth, the UV aspect that really sells the Sun
Sun is a gimic. The quartz gets so dirty, so quickly, the light
loses about 60% of its efficiency within weeks. AND unless
you're keeping your Cichlids in a 29 Tall, the wattage is
usually way undersized...
I only buy phones from two manufacturers (Samsung and Apple)...
I only buy TV's from two manufacturers (Sony and Samsung)...
And I only buy canisters from two manufacturers (Fluval and
Eheim)...
If you can afford it, the FX6 is the absolute gold standard.
If you have a tank that's less than 100 gallons, a Fluval 406
would work as well.
I have an extra Fluval 406 that's all yours if you can drum up
$1,000 worth of donations to the benefit fund. Just have the
donors reference your name in the PayPal message...
#Post#: 1202--------------------------------------------------
Re: Canister filter setup
By: tim1126az Date: October 6, 2014, 8:49 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
I agree with Mr. Lindsey on the UV aspect of the SunSuns, and
will add the flow rate past the light is to quick to kill
anything past a single cell....and the light gets hot...when I
cleaned mine the first time, there was a noticeable dark spot on
the canister body next to the light (like a burn mark, if you
will)...I will champion the Hydor though, it's less expensive
than the Fluval 406 (which I also own) and every bit of top
shelf as both the Eheim and Fluval...Buuuuuuuut it's your cash
sir...you won't go wrong with any of the 3, just spend a little
more or a little less.... 8)
*****************************************************