What Filter Media To Use?

[fryeguy82]

i recently got a fluval 305 filter for my tank. i don't know if anyone is familiar with it but water first passes through some sponges then i goes through 3 stacked media baskets that can each be divided in half. and i will also be using a HOB aqua-tech filter that uses carbon cartridges and biofilters. neale, you told me "The water hardness should be buffered with some calcareous stuff in the filter, such as crushed coral or crushed oyster shells. Keep the pH above 7.5." unfortunately, i'm not sure exactly what you're talking about. if anyone has any ideas on what media to use in my filter, i'd really appriceate it.

thanks,
chris

 

[rdd1952]

neale, you told me "The water hardness should be buffered with some calcareous stuff in the filter, such as crushed coral or crushed oyster shells. Keep the pH above 7.5." unfortunately, i'm not sure exactly what you're talking about. if anyone has any ideas on what media to use in my filter, i'd really appriceate it.

Don't worry about the pH unless you are planning to get fish that have a very small pH range (most fish can adapt to any stable pH. That is the key. As a matter of fact, if you want fish like tetras, angels or most other community fish, they would prefer a pH of 7 or below. Cichlids are an example of fish that like high alkaline water. My 3 tanks right now run the gamet. My 29 gallon with tetras, kuhli loaches and amano shrimp with a piece of driftwood runs at 6.2. The 75 gallon with tetras, angels, SAEs, corys and a pleco and a larger piece of driftwood runs about 6.8 and my 2.5 gallon betta tank is at 7.2. The tap water runs between 6.8 and 7.2.

I am running 2 fluval 305s on my 75 gallon tank and they have done great. I just used the media that came with them (all except the carbon which I don't use) which were ceramic rings. They work great. Later I also added a jar of Matrix Bio Media, mainly so if I ever wanted to start a new tank, I would have extra media to clone it with.

 

[Uluru]

Hi Chris
I am using the Fluval 203 and the instructions are that the sponge is in the upper chamber, ie the last one. You say yours in the first compartment, is that what the manual says?
I've had a lot of discussion with this, it seams to me that it would be in the first to trap small particles, not so by the manual
Anyone any comments?

Cheers
Colin

 

[rdd1952]

Sponges (4) on the 305 go down the side (holders specifically for them) and then there are 3 baskets for what ever media you want to use.

 

[highfire]

I too have a Fluval 305 and like rdd1952 says, the sponges go down the side and other media in the three compartments.
In the bottom compartment I have more sponges, and the top two contain ceramic rings.
I have had great results with this filter.

 

[Uluru]

Therefore the sponges are first in order of filtering?

 

[fryeguy82]

Therefore the sponges are first in order of filtering?

yes, you are correct. i'm not sure how the 203 works, but in the 305 water comes in through the top, down through the sponges, then up through the media baskets, and back out of the top. hope i explained that clearly enough.