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Okay, I'm gonna try and make this short and sweet. I would like to know what media you all have in your filter. I want to know this because I want to know what to put in my spare canister compartment.

My break down...

Filstar xP3:
Bottom basket- Filtration foam (came stock with the filter)
Middle basket- Macaroni rings (a.k.a ceramic rings)
Top basket- Bio-chem, white micro filter foam, and nylon leggings on the plastic grid

As some of you are familiar with the xP3 series, I have a spare compartment in the top basket under the Bio-chem and have no idea what would be good to add in there so any ideas would be awesome.

Filstar XP1:
only one basket so heres what I got going on.
bottom: Fluval pre filter
top: 30PPI foam pad
top seperator grid: nylon stocking over it

Got any recommendations to put in my spare compartment? The compartment is basically under the Bio-chem that is seperated by a seperator grid (roughly 1.25" from top of the grid to the bottom of the basket).

The only thing I can think of is to add some prefilter blocks to the very bottom basket, and then everything else up one.

I find that the fluval prefilter really stops a lot of waste before hitting the foam pads.

or possibly some carbon, although its really not necessary. maybe just more bio media if you like.

I use activated carbon in all my tanks (past & present) for chemical filtration. When I eventually get our xP3 set up, I will be adding carbon to the spare compartment. Carbon is particularily effective at removing certain chemicals, especially chloramine & chlorine, and has the side effect of keeping the water very clear. We will have some fish in our turtle tank and I prefer to have carbon in the filter with fish in the tank.

Here is a list of what carbon is effective at removing from aquarium water;

High to very good absorption
Arsenic, bleach, chloramine, chlorine, chromium, colors, dyes, gold, insecticide, odors, monochloramine, tin
Good to Moderate absorption
Acetic acid, cobalt, detergent, hydrogen sulfide, mercury, ozone, potassium, silver, soap, solvents, vinegar
Fair absorption
Copper, iron (not chelated), lead nickel, titanium, vanadium
Little or No absorption
Alkalinity, ammonia, barium, carbon dioxide, hardness, copper, manganese, nitrates, selenium, molybdenum, zinc

Optionally, the only other good possibility that I considerred (like Chris suggested) would be to move the biological rings up a level and put the pre-filter prior to the rings in the water flow. Since you already have the ceramic rings and the Bio-Chem Stars, the Fluval Pre-filter just seems like over-kill in the biological filtration department, so carbon probably is the way to go for that empty compartment in your xP3.

(Chris, I'm surprised that you do not use carbon, especially considering your 'obsession' with clear water.......also interesting that you are using Fluval Pre-filter ceramic instead of Fluval Biomax ceramic, although I guess they essentially do provide similar biological filtration capability in the end. In any case I guess the xP1 does have some compartmental limitations.... )

Okay then, so what the heck is the difference between Bio-chem and Carbon? I assumed they both did pretty much the same job.

And so my baskets should be...

Bottom basket my Bio-chem basket?
Middle basket my filter foam stuff?
Top basket my ceramic rings?

I also noticed when Mary Jane is movin' around in the water there are alot of particals in there, mainly looks like shedded skin, and probably whatever she seems to rustle up. Although most of the "particles" I think may be bubbles since I am using the wand thing as the output from my filter. How the heck do some of you <cough> Chris <cough> keep your water so clear?

My Rena XP3 consists of:

Bottom - Fluval prefilter
Middle - Rena sponges, starting with two course, then two fine
Top - Bio rings, Biochem Zorb, white microfilter

I like the Fluval prefilter at the bottom because it traps a lot of the yuck that ends up in the tank and lets me leave my filter running longer between cleanings. And my sponges look almost brand new, well, the black ones anyways.

Biochem Zorb IS activated carbon, it just is designed to neutralize chemical and biological problems. It is the most recommended Rena carbon pouch.

I have the stuff that came with the XP3. I don't think we added anything.

Hmm just took a look at the Fluval prefilter, and from I read on it they are just like bio rings. The only difference is the shape and that they catch debris.

My next question is this... How do Fluval prefilters trap debris if they looks the same as bio rings? Are they smaller? Can anyone post comparison pics of Bio rings vs. Fluval prefilter media?

OK, Jimmy, so there seems to be some confusion here....

My reply, and suggestion that you add carbon rather than the Fluval Pre-filter, was based on the understanding that you had Bio-Chem Stars, while Dr. Jax is suggesting that you have Bio-Chem Zorb, which already does contain carbon. They are NOT the same thing, even though they are both RENA products.

So, which one do you actually have? (see links below for comparison)

STARS - for biological filtration
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... catid=3605

ZORB - for chemical filtration (contains carbon)
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... catid=3615

I already mentioned it in my first post...

Top basket at the moment contains Bio chem zorb, and a free compartment underneath it(I want to know what to put in this space). Also have the white micro-filtration pad on top of the zorb as the last process.

Middle basket I have ceramic rings for bio filtration which is full.

Bottom basket I have those prefilters.

So basically I want to know what the actual difference is between my ceramic rings and the Fluval prefilter since they look the same, and lastly what I should put in that spare compartment under the biochem-zorb. Now with this biochem-zorb vs. carbon I'm lost, don't know which I should have in the filter.

Bio chem zorb and Carbon are optional. If you want bare bones just do mechanical(foam) and Biological(ceramic rings).

I don't want bare bones, I want super clear looking water like yours! Haha. I can add the Fluval prefilter, it's just that they looks very similar to the bio-rings and don't understand how they can stop debris from going through the filter.

Haha thanks.

They are the same as far as i am concerned, except the difference with the bio max is its more porous for colonization purposes.

The prefilter is just to catch the very largest of waste, such as unbroken up turtle poop before it gets to the foam.

I put a layer about 2 blocks thick and I must say it has done a great job.

Chrisbarnett wrote:The prefilter is just to catch the very largest of waste, such as unbroken up turtle poop before it gets to the foam.

I put a layer about 2 blocks thick and I must say it has done a great job.

So bio rings and the Fluval prefilter are technically the same size? Or, are the prefilter rings smaller?