Equipment Review and Discussion :: questions for owners with an xp3

[LOBO]

im settin up my xp3 and it didnt come with the rings or stars so i went out and bought some of the stars. now i have a 55 gal tank with about 30 gals of water in it. the box of stars says one box for every 100 gals. but the diagram on the filter box shows 3 different levels filled with them. do i need to have them on all 3 levels? and would it hurt if i had more then the stars says? cause i was thinkin of buying 2 more boxes of stars to put in the next 2 levels. also on the xp3 box it shows just rings on the 3rd level and rings/stars on the other 2. does it have to be rings on the bottom?

[octpusgirl8]

You don't need rings/stars on every level, i believe with the XP3 the best spot for them in in the middle basket. You can't have too much bio filtration! I have mine set up with foam in the bottom basket, the middle basket full of rings, and carbon topped with a polishing pad in the top basket. You want the bio media to go after the mechanical filtration and before the chemical filtration.

[TheComputerGremlin]

I actually set mine up using ceramic rings from Fluval (because the Petsmart near me doesn't carry Rena ones) as the very bottom level, they are called pre-filter or something, it traps solid waste, then I have the basket of the foams, then 1/2 basket with the stars, and then the BioZorb. It might not be the recommended setup, but it's working really well.

[octpusgirl8]

Pre filter rings are different than rings for bio filtration, they are less porous and therefore have less space for bacteria to colonize. They will support some bacteria however, and i've read that they even out the water flow through the filter. I've never used them myself. The brand of rings/stars/balls isn't important though. And remember, never rinse them under tap water (tank water only) and never let them dry out during filter cleaning.

[LOBO]

ok, i went by the diagram that came with the filter. it said to have the chem on top then the rings under that in the same basket. maybe i will buy 2 more boxes of stars anyway. just to satisfy my ocd.

[SpotsMama]

You're right about the order of the media in the three baskets. I've got a mixture of stars and ceramic rings in my middle basket, but if I had to do it over again I'd just get rings. The stars float so when you're trying to clean the filter they tend to get away from you. The rings are heavy so they stay put.

[LOBO]

i wanted to get rings but the only ones i found werent for this filter. does it mater what kind i get. they were rena but they weren't for the xp series.

[SpotsMama]

Doesn't matter if the rings are the specific Rena brand or not. A lot of people on here with XPs use rings (not a Rena brand) and prefer them.

[LOBO]

ok cool. so maybe i'll get some of those instead. i really wanna get my filter going. its been set up for like 4 days but i can do anything til i just the rest of the stuff.

[LOBO]

also, doesn anyone know where i can get a screen top with 1/2inch or bigger holes? right now mine will just not do but i cant find any sites with bigger ones. and im gettin my res in exactly one week. *nail biting*

[TheComputerGremlin]

A lot of people make up their own screens, using any variety of means. Many people don't even bother with screens. If you are in serious need, though, you can get screens at like Petsmart/Petco that, although the holes are smaller, can be used until you find an alternative.

If you know any repair-kinda guys, someone might be able to build you one.

[LOBO]

yeah im sure i could build one but i was hopin to get one before the turt got here. i was thinkin of just snippin the holes on this one til they r big enough but then im afraid of it breakin and the light fallin into the tank. im sure i can rig something up.

[marisa]

You can buy something called hardware cloth (it's a roll of heavy duty wire mesh that comes in 1/4-inch and 1/2 holes) and make you're own cover. A screen isn't absolutely necessary, however. Besides hardware stores, you should be able to find it at places like Home Depot or Lowes.

[LOBO]

awesome thanks.

[steve]

If you do get the mesh, get the one that's 1/2" since that will allow a greater transmission of UV.