Equipment Review and Discussion :: Couple questions about xP2

[Billy Black]

I just got a Rena Filstar xP2 filter for Christmas, and I've got it all set up. However, the water in my tank doesn't reach all the way to the top, so the output is above the water line. It makes a neat little water fall, but the noise is driving me crazy. Is there any way to make it longer? I'd honestly rather have it all the way on the bottom, so that it cleans up the bottom of the tank better.

Also, the instructions said that it comes with the little stars, but mine didn't have that. It only had the Bio-Chem Zorb, and the foam pads. Is that normal? And are there certain types of media that I should buy that are better suited for turtle tanks, as opposed to fish tanks?

[SpotsMama]

My XP3 came with an extension for the outlet. I could have made it an underwater outlet with the extension but chose to keep it short and have the waterfall. Did yours not come with the extension?

Also, my XP3 did not come with stars or rings. The instructions said for me to get some. I bought a package each of stars and rings for the biomedia basket. I read somewhere that the stars are the most porous and are therefore better than rings, but the rings work well too. Lots of people just just rings.

The media that came with my tank (plus the starts/rings) work really well for my turtle. I wouldn't change anything. When I clean the tank I replace the bio-chem zorb and the micro filter pad that goes on top.

[steve]

Did the XP2 come with a spray bar? Some people like to use that instead for their XP3.

[Muirner]

The way i did this was, one of the intake extensions i took and used it on the extension of the discharge tube, lowering it to my water level. I had it pointed backwards against the glass to aggitate the water and it was good to go.

My XP3 came with foam pads, carbon, and filter floss. That's all

[SpotsMama]

I guess I should have said I had the option of using an extension to extend the spray bar. I use the spray bar above the water, pointed at the back of the tank like Muirner's, to make it quieter and agitate the surface of the water and also to make a play area for Spot and the minnows. It's still fairly noisy but we got used to it in a couple of days and don't hear it any more.

[Billy Black]

Mine did not come with an extension. I thought of using one of the extension pieces from the intake side, but it appears that they do not fit together.

It did come with a spray bar, but unless I fill the water up higher, it is also above the water level.

I'll try pointing it towards the side of the tank, as suggested. Right now, I have it in their diagonal, so that most of it is underwater.

[Muirner]

My extension went from the part of the discharge that goes over the tank, to the extension on the spray bar end. If you'd like i can take a few pictures to illistrate.