redearslider.com

Hi everybody,
I have a question before buying an XP3.

I want to know what the tubes are used to. Should I connect it to the tap water or do I need an outside water source for it? I want to put the tank in my bedroom but there is no other water source like tap water at all.

Can you let me know how you install it?

Thanks and I love this site!

Filters don't connect to a water source. They just filter the water that is in the tank. The XP3 comes with two tubes. One tube is for the intake where the water gets sucked into the filter and the other tube is where it comes back out into the tank after it has been filtered.

Spookster wrote:Filters don't connect to a water source. They just filter the water that is in the tank. The XP3 comes with two tubes. One tube is for the intake where the water gets sucked into the filter and the other tube is where it comes back out into the tank after it has been filtered.

Thanks a lot! I am going to buy one now.

You're going to love it! The instructions in the box for setting it up are easy to follow. It's also easy to clean and maintain.

Just set it up. Super clean now!

I was looking at this, and with the petsmart coupon online it's a good deal. Now i'm just wondering, it says it has the options for 3 types of media. Mechanical, Bio, and Chemical, i believe... How often do you need to change the media? And i have looked at the media for fluvals and it's not to expensive so do you think it's compairable.

The tank it will be filtering will be a 55gal, with 35-40gal of water in it... 2 RES's both right now are 1.5" in diamter.

Also what do you do to keep the water moving? I assume this is where a powerhead would come in handy?

The mechanical media (sponges) last a long time (I used mine for more than two years). The biomedia (ceramic rings/stars) just need to be rinsed out in tank water when you clean them. The chemical media (usually carbon) if you use it usually needs to be replaced about once a month, but this depends on the tank size/amount of water and if you use more than one pack or not.

marisa wrote:The mechanical media (sponges) last a long time (I used mine for more than two years). The biomedia (ceramic rings/stars) just need to be rinsed out in tank water when you clean them. The chemical media (usually carbon) if you use it usually needs to be replaced about once a month, but this depends on the tank size/amount of water and if you use more than one pack or not.

Could you let me know where do u get these media from?

You can buy it at the pet store where you got your filter, or you can purchase from a number of online dealers. www.bigalsonline.com is a good start.

Muirner wrote:The tank it will be filtering will be a 55gal, with 35-40gal of water in it... 2 RES's both right now are 1.5" in diamter.

Also what do you do to keep the water moving? I assume this is where a powerhead would come in handy?

I have an XP2 on my 60 gallon. I love it. I use foam pads and bio media, no chem. It works great.
The filter pump makes a pretty strong current... not sure why you'd need a powerhead.

Ok, so an XP2 is big enough for your 60 gal.? I'm just looking, and maybe the chemical component would be good... I'm doing the PetSmart pricematch for 104 on the filter, and i need to get media i assume..

I think i will probably get the XP3, because at the very least if i need the chemical component i will be able to add it, and if not i'll be able to use the top basket for something else (i assume?)

Now my question is, how do i know what biomedia to get? Is it all the same? or should i get rings, and stars? Also is there a specific type? I see that fluval has packages (when i glanced quickly at the pet store) of media, how many fit in each basket?

I'm curious as to if PetsMart will price match as I've notice on their site the pic for the filter is actually pics of the media and stuff for the filter.

i called and spoke to a manager. ANd if it comes down to it, i'll take him to his personal computer and show him... I figure if i print it out, and then do a screen shot so he knows im not kidding, i'll be better off...

Let me know how that goes. Good luck.

WeirdMeta wrote:Let me know how that goes. Good luck.

without a hitch, i got the XP3 today. Will be setting it up tomorow at some point.. And hopefully soon i'll have my 55 gal set up.. The only thing is today i heard of someone with a turtle that is not being cared for the best. I want to adopt it, but 55 gal isnt big enough for long... they are all 2" in size or smaller... Idk what to do, maybe a fund raiser for baby RES's.