Ef2000 External Filter Media Question

[weezawoo]

Hey I just got my filter as above, there seems to be a lot of media with it, do I need all of this or just like half of it?
Also what order does everyone put them in or do you mix and match the rings, carbon and balls etc?
Stupid Q but I leave the carbon in the bag thing right??!

 

[star4]

I used the balls & rings just added some more rings, didnt bother with the carbon (yes you do leave it in the bag) and only used one of the filter pads, works excellent

 

[Jamepsss]

I used all the media out of my old filter plus one bag of their ceramics, the bio balls and the foams. I took the ceramics out of the bag to spread them around more.

(Mis-read opening post)carbon should stay in the bag.

 

[weezawoo]

O forgot to mention I have 4 filter sponges from other filters to go in. Sooooo would you reccommend using one of their sponges and then fit in the rest of mine somewhere until bacteria is all good in the rest of the filter?
And what order, top tray to the bottom? Carbon in top, then jut sponge, then bals then rings? Can't remember what it reccommends as I am at work.
The only probem I can see is that my current sponges won't fit completely across the size of the tray, does this matter?

I used the balls & rings just added some more rings, didnt bother with the carbon (yes you do leave it in the bag) and only used one of the filter pads, works excellent

any reason you didnt use the carbon

 

[Jamepsss]

O forgot to mention I have 4 filter sponges from other filters to go in. Sooooo would you reccommend using one of their sponges and then fit in the rest of mine somewhere until bacteria is all good in the rest of the filter?
And what order, top tray to the bottom? Carbon in top, then jut sponge, then bals then rings? Can't remember what it reccommends as I am at work.
The only probem I can see is that my current sponges won't fit completely across the size of the tray, does this matter?

I used the balls & rings just added some more rings, didnt bother with the carbon (yes you do leave it in the bag) and only used one of the filter pads, works excellent

any reason you didnt use the carbon

I'd leave their foams in (on every tray) as they're made to measure the trays. You could put yours on top of them in the bottom tray then the second bottom ceramics, third bio balls and ceramics and top polishing pads and/or carbon.

In my top tray I have fine filter wool and Seachem Purigen. Carbon will polish your water but only remains active for a short time.

 

[weezawoo]

I do know about carbon as I have it in my current filter. Just was wondering if there was a reason why not to use it.
Is there a difference in the foams? Mine all look the same although not checked them out completely properly. Does it pull the water through the filter coming from the bottom or does it go down through the filter if you understand what I mean?
I don't want to use too much fiter foam etc that it restricts the flow at all.

 

[Jamepsss]

I do know about carbon as I have it in my current filter. Just was wondering if there was a reason why not to use it.
Is there a difference in the foams? Mine all look the same although not checked them out completely properly. Does it pull the water through the filter coming from the bottom or does it go down through the filter if you understand what I mean?
I don't want to use too much fiter foam etc that it restricts the flow at all.

Sorry Weez, didn't mean to sound condescending
I don't use the carbon as I'm dosing Excel and I've read that carbon will take that out of the water.

The water goes bottom to top, pretty sure the foams are all the same.

Good luck setting it up, took me ages

 

[weezawoo]

I do know about carbon as I have it in my current filter. Just was wondering if there was a reason why not to use it.
Is there a difference in the foams? Mine all look the same although not checked them out completely properly. Does it pull the water through the filter coming from the bottom or does it go down through the filter if you understand what I mean?
I don't want to use too much fiter foam etc that it restricts the flow at all.

Sorry Weez, didn't mean to sound condescending
I don't use the carbon as I'm dosing Excel and I've read that carbon will take that out of the water.

The water goes bottom to top, pretty sure the foams are all the same.

Good luck setting it up, took me ages

I didn't mean to sound rude in my reply just etting you know I did know about it and somehow I couldnt find a way to write it without sounding rude haha! But anyway I am aware of carbon (man that sounds better!!) I didn't know if it takes ferts out the water if it is just meds. I am using excel at the moment but am prob going to stop and use my own ferts. Do you think it would effect them?

 

[Jamepsss]

I do know about carbon as I have it in my current filter. Just was wondering if there was a reason why not to use it.
Is there a difference in the foams? Mine all look the same although not checked them out completely properly. Does it pull the water through the filter coming from the bottom or does it go down through the filter if you understand what I mean?
I don't want to use too much fiter foam etc that it restricts the flow at all.

Sorry Weez, didn't mean to sound condescending
I don't use the carbon as I'm dosing Excel and I've read that carbon will take that out of the water.

The water goes bottom to top, pretty sure the foams are all the same.

Good luck setting it up, took me ages

I didn't mean to sound rude in my reply just etting you know I did know about it and somehow I couldnt find a way to write it without sounding rude haha! But anyway I am aware of carbon (man that sounds better!!) I didn't know if it takes ferts out the water if it is just meds. I am using excel at the moment but am prob going to stop and use my own ferts. Do you think it would effect them?

Ha ha you didn't sound rude don't worry.

Anyway, just read this from Seachem...

"The Flourish Excel is formulated to where it is quickly taken up by the plants. Therefore, carbon does not have any significant impact on Flourish Excel and will not remove it from the water column"

So I was wrong abou that. As for the dry ferts, no idea.

 

[weezawoo]

I'm sure it will be ok then if it leaves the carbon alone Thanks!!!

 

[coldcazzie]

I didn't use the carbon in mine - I've got it stashed incase I ever use meds. Until that day it's staying in the cupboard! I have a foam in each tray, then the bottom 2 are filled with rings, the next one up is bioballs and the top is just extra foams and some extra bioballs at the mo, until I get some Purigen at a later date.

 

[weezawoo]

DO the foams last the same as internal filters? I was told to change internal every 6 weeks with 2 weeks overlap of new and old

 

[coldcazzie]

If you're using something that "runs out" like zeolite or ammonchips or carbon, then they need replacing regularly. Aside from that you don't need to replace your filter media at all. Unless it's physically falling apart. Anybody who tells you that you "need" to replace the media (assuming it's sponge, foam, balls, rings, noodles etc) every blah number of weeks or whatever, is simply trying to make money out of you. Sorry!

 

[weezawoo]

Haha thanks for clearing that up! I bought new filter foam for my internal too often as they said I needed too! They were never falling apart just not white anymore haha! Stupid people!!!