Habitat - Indoor

So after waiting a good bit, my packages finally arrived. 57 dollars later, my 2 filters came! I received a Rena Filstar XP3, and a Cascade 1500 (planning on selling to get $ back)

Here's a video!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIt8xzN4zvY[/youtube]

So, I have no idea about the parts and pieces of these filters. If someone has a diagram that'd be nice. I think I may have to hit up the instruction book. GRR! :evil:

Any comments?

i wouldn't use whatever media they gave you. buy new. and just set them up and see if they work and go from there. i dont think id sell one of them though just in case one breaks or for when you upgrade tanks you can just add a second filter rather then but another one

Okay, I already have carbon bags. But not even the filter pads? I think even if I were to give them a good bath in hot / boiling water it would kill anything that may be harmful to the turtle.

You don't need carbon bags. This is to remove meds or discolouration. It's not an "every day" filter media.

You don't "have" to buy new media..... media is good for a very, very, very long time. You will replace the ceramic rings when they start disintegrating which might be never in your lifetime lol.

Just rinse, as you said, with hot water.

Sponges go on the bottom and you'll want to fill up the rest with ceramic rings. This is my personal preference and how I have my two renas setup. I don't think you have any ceramic rings though. Those other white media bags... I'm not sure what they are, but I think one is an ammonia remover (which is uselss after a certain period of time, so just toss it). The white and black spotted one (?) I don't know what it is but most likely useless as well. lol. I think it has something to do with nitrites but also is useless after a certain time. So just keep the sponges and buy ceramic media! Ceramic rings are very important. Oh and that filter floss can be tossed. A cheap filter floss is polyster fiber and I bought a huge bag for $5 at my local art store... it's the white fluffy stuff used to stuff teddy bears/pillows/etc. Not necessarily needed but it's an extra purifier on the water. I use a handful in my filters and replace it with clean floss every week during weekly w/c.

As for setting up there is a manual online and it looks like you have the book. Let's see if this works: http://c2.f3images.com/IMD/UserManuals/AP7311.pdf
I'll try to draw a diagram.

Edit: This is my amazing picture.

It really isn't complicated at all. Fit the output onto the left and the intake onto the right. Hook it up onto your tank. Once they are put in your tank push down the latch/lever on the top of the canister. You should hear it filling up with water. Leave it for a minute or two, then plug in the filter. The suction should start going after a couple of seconds. If it sounds like the motor is grinding, turn it off; there's not enough water. You might have to manually fill the intake tube or canister with water. Sometimes shaking the canister helps too, in getting the air out.

Very nice picture. haha. I was planing on just boiling the used filter pads / sponges and reusing them. they don't look half bad at all. i would pitch them if they looked really used but they look in good condition.

i'm planning on purchasing this lot of 4 - 1L containers of BioRings on eBay (as VeipaCray suggested): http://www.ebay.com/itm/4x-1L-Odyssea-G ... 5887126140

and buying 2 100ml bags of purigen. so i can swap one out, while the other one is recharging.

and either the polyfill like you suggested, or this roll of filter floss on BigAls:
http://www.bigalspets.com/Big-Als-Filte ... =salesrank

I think this would be the best overall setup for my new 55 gallon tank. Here's a picture I made to face off against yours.

Thanks for the information!

The biorings off E-Bay are a good deal. I got plenty to fill up my FX5. You get like, 4 containers and free baggies inside each one. I used them for my purigen and carbon.

I used the set-up in VeipaCray's thread for my FX5: http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=30145 Keeps the tank pretty darn good looking. I bet the set-up for the Rena on there is decent as well.

I'd get a big jug of purigen and use the 2 bags that come with it, but i don't know how I could secure the bags... i wouldn't want to really use zip-ties with the fear of it slipping off, or not being tight enough... maybe sew it? lol

If you have an IKEA nearby, they sell inexpensive plastic bag clips that might work for you.

Be careful with third party bags for purigen, that stuff is pretty fine, and the wrong bag will just release it into your tank.

So just play it safe and get 2 - 100ml prebagged purigen instead of a 250ml bottle?

That's what I did.

Habitat - Indoor :: Look At What Showed Up on My Doorstep! [video]

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