Filter Media

[jlo]

After my loss i am going to start a whole new setup now

so i was wondering about filter media as i wasnt aware of the options for an external filter.

Do you guys have any prefferences/recommendations
O rsomething i should stay away from
The filter i am looking at has four trays

The setup will be GSP's around 2-3
thanks jason

[Myaj]

Most of the time I do the first section the water flows through (from the tank) as a coarse filter pad, second section as a 1/2 thick layer of floss (or a floss pad) and the third/fourth sections as biomedia (bioballs, biomax, etc).

I stay away from carbon, ammonia removing products, etc.

[jlo]

why do you stay away from those products are they harmful

[Myaj]

Well, anything that removes ammonia will basically starve your biofilter.. then when the media is "used up" or you forget to buy more, suddenly you have a tank crash because your biofilter all died off due to having no ammonia to eat (the product used it up). So then you think, oh crap, I stopped using that product and my fish died, that product is great! I must buy more! When in reality, if you'd never used it in the first place, your bacteria could have established properly and it never would have been a worry.

Carbon has its uses, it can be excellent for removing medications or pollutants from your tank, but for day to day use, its pointless. It only remains active for a day or two, so unless you are constantly replacing it, there's no point to having it. If you have live plants, it can actually remove some of the nutrients the plants need. If you already have some in your filter though, just leave it there.. it makes an excellent biomedia (its very porous and gives bacteria plenty of places to grow and reproduce).

[jlo]

OH right thanks that some great info

I am going to be setting up a tank soon so i will stay away from carbon unless i need to clear medication etc