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Looking to by a canister filter and leaning towards the Rena XP3 want to know of those who use the XP3 what media choices are they using also has anyone heard of the EHEIM Professional II and is worth it - thanks

http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/waterquality.htm#filtration

Try here, they have alot of explainations and comparisons on filter types.

lilreaux wrote:Looking to by a canister filter and leaning towards the Rena XP3 want to know of those who use the XP3 what media choices are they using also has anyone heard of the EHEIM Professional II and is worth it - thanks

Eheims are the best by far, but they're not cheap. I use a Via Aqua650 for my 60 gallon tank.

Im using an XP3 and love it.

Right now, I have some ceramic things in there, bio-zorb, carbon, the thick black ones for large particles and thing white ones for small particles and my water is perfect, in over a month all I have had to do is change water just to keep it fresh for my guys, the bottom has NO dirt on it at all.

Mike

Thanks for the input did buy the XP3 the Eheim was 3 times as much. Went to petsmart.com and found th xp3 for $104 when I got to the store they had is priced at $174 manager said since I printed the web page they would give it to me at the web price. The cashier said I was lucky I printed the page and braught it. So in the future anything I want from petsmart I will print first as to make sure to get the lower price. Also did get the bio zorb and ceramic circles they didn't have the amonia absorant so will add that next time I think. It was very easy to start and assemble how ever getting the hoses on the spouts was dificult. All in all I hope it really keeps this tank clean. Thanks again for the replys

lilreaux wrote:Thanks for the input did buy the XP3 the Eheim was 3 times as much. Went to petsmart.com and found th xp3 for $104 when I got to the store they had is priced at $174 manager said since I printed the web page they would give it to me at the web price. The cashier said I was lucky I printed the page and braught it. So in the future anything I want from petsmart I will print first as to make sure to get the lower price. Also did get the bio zorb and ceramic circles they didn't have the amonia absorant so will add that next time I think. It was very easy to start and assemble how ever getting the hoses on the spouts was dificult. All in all I hope it really keeps this tank clean. Thanks again for the replys

I'm not sure that you need the ammonia absorbant. It may be easier to get a chemical water neutralizer. That way you can remove chlorine/ammonia/chloramine from your water.

Good website for media options
http://www.aquariumpharm.com/media.html

bigalsonline.com carries the entire line of media.

The Eheim is probably the best if money's no object, but the XP3 will give you good value for the money. I'm currently using the 4 pads that came with it for mechanical filtration, the rings and stars for biological filtration and the activated carbon.

I'd forget the bio-chem zorb and that other product you mentioned.