# Canister filter media order



## derik999 (Jul 24, 2014)

I like this guy's youtube channel and he has an interesting video about the proper order of filter media in a canister filter and why he thinks most of them get it wrong. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szrUlHTW5Zo&list=UUMK3tSLPaPHQH-wCm-e2Z8Q

Do you agree with how he sets up the canister and his thought process behind it?


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## bobfig (Aug 30, 2014)

i agree with it. i may even go as far and put a fine micron felt down on the bottom of each bio tray just because i dont want the bio media to clog up.


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## DayOlder (Jul 12, 2014)

I have actually watched this video before and have my Sunsun set up pretty much based on it. I'm still not sure he is correct but when I clean my media the only thing I've changed in the last four months is the very bottom pad. Everything else still looks new. Now I'm not sure if this is good or not but my tank is clean and my fish are happy so at least for now I'm leaving it alone.


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## derik999 (Jul 24, 2014)

Thanks for replies! 

I think I'm going to change my Eheim 2217 around to do this. It's almost set up like the one he has except I just have to take the fine pad and put it down with the coarse pad. It has the ceramic media at the bottom and the other media above the coarse pad. Might buy a "medium" pad to put between the coarse and fine.


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## Laurel (Sep 18, 2014)

Bottom to top, I have coarse pad, fine pad, rings, purigen. It made more sense that way. :/


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## deeda (Jun 28, 2005)

I've seen that video and don't agree with everything he said. Just follow the instructions for your particular model filter as this will vary between models and manufacturers.


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## Steve002 (Feb 7, 2014)

Generally I agree with his logic though he states that the ceramic media is useless which it isn't when used for what it was actually designed for. It and bio-balls/cubes are used in wet/dry filters to promote the growth of aerobic bacteria but are pretty much useless in canisters since they don't allow for air and grow primarily anaerobic bacteria. I've used just sponge going from course to fine since the sponges provide a great deal of surface area themselves. The final filter media he uses in the top two trays is most likely significantly better with a lot more surface area than fine sponge but it dosen't look to be easily rinsed clean of the detritus the bacteria will produce, but I'm not sure as I've had no experience with it. I do know though that sponge lasts just about forever, is easily rinsed clean, holds its shape well, allows for good water flow, and holds sufficient bacteria that my canister allows no build up of ammonia or nitrates at all in the tank.


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## Ghia (May 1, 2014)

I use the same media order. Just like he says, the important thing is to get rid of all particle detritus before the water reaches the biomedia. Exception is, I use Eheim SubstratPro instead of those sintered glass cylinders. I like the size of the SubstratPro better, and it works excellently.


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## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

I believe cleaning whatever media you have in whatever order is key to clean tank.(filters performance)
If you clean the filter media monthly,,then what order and how coarse or fine the material is matter's little.
I got a Rena canister filled with nothing but shower scrubbies ,and another filter filled about half way with only substrat pro,and two eheim 2217's set up much the way the video describes ,but only two coarse pads with some substrat pro in the bottom where the water is drawn into the filter and top layer of fine material.(more flow with less media)
All of the filters get cleaned once a month.
Don't matter really how you set up the filter with regards to media if your only cleaning it once every six months. IMHO


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## loach guy (Jun 2, 2014)

If you put your bio-material in a media bag first, then the point is moot.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

Basic concept is good:
Remove the debris in order of size: coarse, medium, fine mechanical media. 
The next 2 could be bio and chem, not both bio. 
Planted tanks do not need that much bio, but you may want to run chem such as purigen, carbon, peat moss, coral sand or other. 

Could also be set up: lower tray coarse, 
second tray medium and fine,
upper tray bio. 
Same order, just more mech, less bio.


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## charlie 1 (Oct 22, 2006)

just wanted to point out, the ceramic media that he describes as "worse than useless & too smooth" was never intended to be a biological media.


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