What filter media in my Fluval 305??

[Richfell]

My 305 filter has 6 baskets and came with 3 carbon filters and 3 of the bio max ceramic rings.

Now, I've heard that these carbon don't really serve any purpose at all so I'm going to get rid of these. I also beleive they remove liquid plant food. Is this the case????

I've bought some polishing pads for the top 2 baskets and the middle two baskets will contain the bio max rings. This leaves me with the bottom 2 baskets to fill.

WIll I be ok with 2 more bio max rings in the lower baskets? The reason I ask is that the filter instructions say the bio max rings should live in either the top or middle baskets.

I'm also having some bogwood in the tank. What do you think the best filter media for removing the wood stain in the water??

Thanks.

 

[Steve Smith]

I would have one more level of mechanical filtration in the bottom basket maybe ceramic noodles (not bio), but other than that cram in as much bio media as you can You'd probably be fine to ditch one of the polish pads and have 4 bio media baskets.

 

[Richfell]

I would have one more level of mechanical filtration in the bottom basket maybe ceramic noodles (not bio), but other than that cram in as much bio media as you can You'd probably be fine to ditch one of the polish pads and have 4 bio media baskets.

Thanks Steve,

Not sure I get you though. This is my first external filter (always had juwel tanks before).

What do you mean by mechanical and bio filtration?

Aren't the ceramic noodles the fluval biomax rings??

 

[Steve Smith]

Biological media is usually ceramic/sintered glass/plastic bioballs and is used for biological filtration. Sintered glass style is probably the best, as generally it has a larger surface area, so more bacteria can live on a single piece. You want high surface area (notice how ceramic media is quite rough and covered in tiny holes).

Ceramic noodles are more like compact ceramic hula hoops which don't have a very good surface area. They are supposed to go at the bottom of your filter level and be one of the first things the water hits. What they do is disrupt the water flow allowing larger particles of detritus to sink, while the water carries on to the next level.

Now, the Flucal 305 has 4 sponges that the water passes through first, and then it travels up the baskets and back out. As I say, I'd be tempted to have one tray at the bottom with more mechanical filtration, whether the ceramic noodles I mention, or just more corse sponge (cut your own to shape), and then as much biological media you can cram into the rest of the trays. You could use a polishing pad/filter wool in the top basket, on top of some more bio media if you wanted