Fluval 404 Baskets

[littleimp]

On my tank I'm going to be running 2 x fluval 404's.

As I want it planted their won't be any carbon in their so I am wondering what else I could put in the baskets.

What do you reckon to this.

They have 2 sponges at the side that do the basic mechanical filtration
Their are 4 baskets.

Bottom - filter floss to polish the water
next - rowaphos to kill the phosphates
next - ceramic media (buy some to add for extra biological)
top - ceramic media as standard

What would you do? On it's own it comes with 3 carbon & 1 ceramic.

Does anyone use the fertiliser 'pro-aqua plant' available from greenline plants?

I could place this in one of the baskets too, replacing the rowa or fliter floss?

 

[Jen]

In my fluval 403 I have in the bottom the ceramic things, then a basket with filter floss and a carbon sleeve. The top section has the 30 and 20 grade foam disks fluval sells. I know people reccomend that you don't use carbon in a planted tank, but when I took it out my water got cloudy, and now that I have it back in, my water is almost crystal clear!

 

[littleimp]

In my fluval 403 I have in the bottom the ceramic things, then a basket with filter floss and a carbon sleeve. The top section has the 30 and 20 grade foam disks fluval sells. I know people reccomend that you don't use carbon in a planted tank, but when I took it out my water got cloudy, and now that I have it back in, my water is almost crystal clear!

I thought the ceramic things came last as these are what provide the biological filtration?

 

[Aussie_Star]

yea ceramic is meant to be last, and i keep carbon in mine to keep[ the water clearer, just use one bag instead of the 2

 

[littleimp]

Ok, at the moment it looks like

2 baskets of ceramic media,
1 basket filter floss
1 basket carbon/rowa

 

[Jen]

The instructions that came with mine (and on the drawing on the box) show them on the bottom. I will investigate further, thanks!

 

[RYO]

I've only got 3 baskets in mine(304) but found it better putting floss in the bottom basket, then the ceramics. I use the pre filter ceramics in the middle then the bio max on top.
This helps keep alot of the smeg out of the tubes . The floss is chucked every filter clean.
I dont use carbon but they say to put it in bottom or middle tray to use as a screen.

 

[@ombomb]

As a rule of thumb I tend to use the coarsest filter media first, finishing with a very fine sponge.

Seems to make sense in terms of mechanical filtration and the bacteria will live in all areas of the filter.