Filter Media placement

[leroyfong]

My canister filter has 4 layers. I have arranged this way:

Top: Filter sponges
2nd: gravel
3rd: gravel + ceramic rings
last: ceramic rings + biohome

I was wondering if it is fine for the biohome to be placed at the bottome tray?

Regards,

[mordrake]

why you using gravel?

i placed my media this way

top - fine filter wool (to trap small particles left in the water)
3rd tray - red biohome
2nd tray - white biohome
bottom tray - coarse filter wool ( to trap bigger particles in the water)

the water is pumped into the bottom and up through the trays, back into the tank.

try to have coarse filter wool at the bottom so that your biohome/ring media would not get too dirty and clogged.

[tawauboy]

usually,you'll place the biohome just before the fine filter wool. the incoming water should pass through ceramic rings to disperse the flow, followed by coarse filter wool to block the bigger particles.

[leroyfong]

Thanks for clarification. I have always not put any filter wool at the lower trays for this filter. Could this cause problems for beneficial bacteria to form and convert ammonia fast enough? The reason is I have recurring green water even after doing a black out few weeks ago. Prior to the black out, I installed an additional filter eheim 2217 with the correct placement as you indicated but inside is eheim substrat instead of biohome.

[atlantis]

[quote:61512e0e49="tawauboy"]usually,you'll place the biohome just before the fine filter wool. the incoming water should pass through ceramic rings to disperse the flow, followed by coarse filter wool to block the bigger particles.[/quote:61512e0e49]

In all the equipment manuals, the fine filter wool is always the last stage for filtering. However, I would think it makes sense to put it before the biohome to ensure particles don't clog the narrow capillaries of the biohome?

[bclee]

I would like to point out that there are 2 types of ceramic rings.

One is the relatively non-porous type, e.g. Eheim Ehfimech. This type is used at the first stage to distribute the water flow to the rest of filter media. Otherwise, most of the water flow is concentrated near the centre of the filter media.

The other type is the highly porous type. This is usually use towards or in the last stage of filtration. This is a good media for bio-filtration.

BC

[tawauboy]

[quote:0f7d4549="atlantis"]In all the equipment manuals, the fine filter wool is always the last stage for filtering. However, I would think it makes sense to put it before the biohome to ensure particles don't clog the narrow capillaries of the biohome?[/quote:0f7d4549]

don't see that it'll make a difference.
the capillaries of biohome are smaller than the 'clearance' of the fine filter wool.

[leroyfong]

Would like your advise if my wrong placement and lack of filter wool at lower trays can actually cause poor beneficial bacteria build up?

[tawauboy]

wrong placement of filter media may cause your filter to be clogged up prematurely. especially if there are a lot of debris.
otherwise beneficial bacteria will build up. for planted tanks, this may not be an issue as the plants will take up quite a lot of the ammonia produced. you'll normally be concerned with water polishing, a task for the fine filter wool.