What Media For A Fluval 305?

[Ethan040]

Hi guys, i got a new 180 litre juwel rio today and it came with a fluval 305 but it has no media it has a black bag of the white media but on the picture it has little foam looking blocks are these specific to fluvals or can i get them from and lfs?

Also it says i need to replace the white media every week and the foam blocks every month is this right?

Thanks

 

[star4]

The sponges go in the flat pull out section, you can cut any sponge to size but its just as easy really to get the fluval sponge they are not that expensive, the "rings" or bio media goes in the trays, I cant remember how many the 305 has, but you can use sponge, bio media, filter wool (in the top one) or a combination, great filters.

 

[Ethan040]

Thanks, The 305 i have has 3 trays so i can put some of the white media in the top tray and bio-media in the bottom two? is there a universal bio media? does it just come in a bag? do i just pour them into the trays or do they need to go into a bag?

 

[rdd1952]

For media for the trays, get a jar of Seachem Matrix. I have the ceramic rings that came with my 304s (older model) in there along with the Matrix. I have a little of both in each tray. They also came with carbon but I never used it. As a matter of fact, I've got a huge bag of carbon packets left from the Whisper cartridges I buy for my 29 gallon.

 

[Ethan040]

Thanks, il get some at the weekend.

Is it right i should change the white media every week? and half of the media in the trays every month?

 

[doresy]

Thanks, il get some at the weekend.

Is it right i should change the white media every week? and half of the media in the trays every month?

NO NO NO NO!

Foam Media only need a gentle squeeze out in old tank water and then only half at any one water change. The white, first stage mechanical filter media can be more vigorously cleaned and ceramic tubes (noodles) can be shaken in the baskets again in old tank water.

The idea is to loosen off the sludge without loosing the bacteria. Never use new, un dechlorinised water as the chlorine will distroy your hard earned bacteria.

 

[rdd1952]

Only change foam filter media when it is too tattered to use any more and you really shouldn't ever have to change the ceramic media. We will probably all be dead and gone before it erodes away.