Cannister filter: Which combo will u choose?

[yurona]

Lets say you have a cannister filter (Eheim) with 2 baskets only. Which one of the following combo of media will you choose?

1. EHFISUBSTRAT in 1 basket and EHFIMECH in another

2. EHFISUBSTRAT in both baskets

3. EHFISUBSTRAT in 1 basket and cotton wool (alot) in another

Assume only using the above 3 types of media, no carbon etc.

[leafhorn]

Me stick to basics, which will likely be the best, below EHIMECh, above EHISUBSTRATE.

[lsz]

top basket substrate

below basket 2 blue sponge and topped with whatever substrate that can be squeezed in

no ehfimech

[DEA]

ok
it's a bad idea to have only biological media in there
when these get clogged up badly, you lose the biofilter
and they don't provide much in terms of mechanical filtration

any other mix of filter media should be fine, so long as mechanical comes before the biological
in fact, you can have the whole filter filled with mechanical filter media
in the end the part that is not doing the mechanical filtration should be ideal for bacteria to live on

[kelstorm]

errr.. this is what i do....

for my 2224.. the top basket is wool followed by Eheim substrate. 2nd basket is blue wool(now reddish or brownish in color) followed by bio-balls..

dun know much abt canister though.. this is the first time me using it.. all the while had been using sump for marine.. now.. pls give advise.. tks..

[DEA]

bioballs should be on the top, the blue sponge and etc are where they should be
the wool on top is a good idea to polish your water

[kelstorm]

[quote]
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On 8/6/2002 6:48:36 PM

bioballs should be on the top, the blue sponge and etc are where they should be
the wool on top is a good idea to polish your water
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meaning that the bioballs are the first layer of filtration??

[DEA]

no, they're on top
ie, the water reaches them last

[kelstorm]

orh.. ok.. need to change the layout already.. thanks..[]

[lsz]

bioballs are best in wet-dry situations

in totally submerged filters, there are many other more media more efficient than bioballs.

canisters are already very compact, unlike an overflow filter where you can have it as big as you like. Bioballs i see them as waste of valuable space in a canister.