General Care Discussion :: XP3 Media

[Kallistos]

Hello, tommorow I'll be picking up a XP3 canister filter, I have some questions about the media required.

Each XP3 comes with, two 20 ppi open-cell foams, two 30 ppi open-cell foams, one Micro-filtration pad, one Bio-Chem Zorb filtration pouch. I plan on buying 20 Bio-Chem stars that treat 100 gallons. What else can I fit in my XP3, what else do I need, or what do you reccomend?

I'd like it so the water hits the 20 ppi foams, then 30 ppi foams, then micro-filtration pad, then the bio-chem zorb pouch, and finally the bio-chem stars. Is this the correct order?

Please tell me what other media I need.

Thank you in advance

[missibsu]

I have my rings between my foam pads. Once you get it and open the box, there will be instructions on which order things ought to be placed. Other than the rings, I didn't put anything extra in. Some people actually choose not use all that it is given...you'll get better suction from your intake if you don't.

[steve]

Here's a good topic on the XP3 media:

http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4003

[Spookster]

In that topic that steve linked to I have mine in the order that is suggested by the media instructions. You always want the 2 coarse foam pads on bottom and follow that by the 2 fine foam pads.

[Kallistos]

Thank you for the advice, I think I'll be following the directions that come with the filter, and maybe experiment with it later on. That's a good idea spookster, because the water that first comes in I wanted all the big gunk hitting the coarse foams. Thanks for the useful link.