Canister filter

[Sammi Mi]

I'm currently running a marineland 360 canister filter and I've been thinking about changing the filter media. I'm using what came with the filter; from bottom to top: coarse foam, carbon, bioballs, ceramic rings w/ polishing filter pad on top. I've been doing a lot of research on canister filters and I'm beginning to understand why people think they are "nitrate factories" but realistically they are not, as long as you have the right media & good cleaning/maintenance habits. Which is why I'm thinking about changing up the media, and making my canister filter work as best as possible.
So, anyway I'm thinking about taking the ceramic rings that cane with the filter and using them as a pre-filter. Then instead of using 2 coarse foam pads, using 1 coarse, 1 medium and 1 fine. I'm going to leave the bioballs. They've already been in the filter running for a month w/ a cycling tank so, they've already got some bacteria growth, plus it would be another level to help catch any and all debris and help get the water as clean as possible before my top 2 levels. Which will consist of biohome ceramic filter media. I'm also debating about putting a nitrate filter pad on the very top, just to help keep nitrates as low as possible.
Ok, so any suggestions, opinions, ideas to make it better. I'm still new to this hobby, so any advice is helpful!

 

[CodyRVA]

Strongly recommend you watch this video. This is how i setup my canister back in the day and it worked amazing. I had a Hydor canister, but the setup was the same. I had a coarse pad in the bottom tray, Middle tray was 2 layers of felt that I bought at a craft store and cut myself (saves money), then large sintered glass holding down the felt pads and small balls of sintered glass media in the very top. I ran my carbon in a reactor to save space in my canister, plus a reactor is far more efficient, running carbon in a canister is a huge mistake. Hope this helps, i think you referenced the same sintered glass media, can be found Here. I think it's equally as good as marine pure, one of the best kept secrets in this hobby. Good luck!

 

[Sammi Mi]

Strongly recommend you watch this video. This is how i setup my canister back in the day and it worked amazing. I had a Hydor canister, but the setup was the same. I had a coarse pad in the bottom tray, Middle tray was 2 layers of felt that I bought at a craft store and cut myself (saves money), then large sintered glass holding down the felt pads and small balls of sintered glass media in the very top. I ran my carbon in a reactor to save space in my canister, plus a reactor is far more efficient, running carbon in a canister is a huge mistake. Hope this helps, i think you referenced the same sintered glass media, can be found Here. I think it's equally as good as marine pure, one of the best kept secrets in this hobby. Good luck!

That's actually the video I saw, just the first of about 10 different videos. I ordered the mini filter media yesterday afternoon. I'm glad to hear that it worked for you, I've honestly read nothing but good reviews about that stuff.

 

[CodyRVA]

That's actually the video I saw, just the first of about 10 different videos. I ordered the mini filter media yesterday afternoon. I'm glad to hear that it worked for you, I've honestly read nothing but good reviews about that stuff.

As long as you keep up with routine maintenance and keep that thing clean, it'll do just fine. I actually stripped my water column of nutrients running my canister like that and pairing it with bio pellets and gfo; so they definitely work so long as you manage them properly.