whats the best filter media

[matthewkingoftheworld]

DISASTER!!!!!!!!!!! cleaning out my fluval 305 and my media bags had turned to mush. hadn't done it in a while so its my fault.

before i had the filter pads, ceramics, carbon sacks and clear max sacks.

i only want the best for my fish and if anybody has any other combinations or advice i look forward to hearing form you


thanks guys

 

[knifegill]

I don't know the anatomy of your filter, but I incorporate a lot of nylon paint strainer bags and aquaclear sponges in my setups, along with lava rock and various pads and scrubbies. Lava is not the best, but it's fine for lightly stocked tanks.

 

[ccebr]

Eheim Ehfisubstratpro

its expensive but you definately get what you pay for

 

[pengu13]

I'm using seachem products in my canister no complaints so far only i use bio , poly wool and purigen.

 

[cichlid2006]

i have used lava rock but i topped every basket with filter wool for fine filtration and it was a pain because it would stick to the wool. i then bought the cheapest ceramic products i could find and they worked great, no problems at all and it doesnt stick to the wool.

anything is good though. bio balls, scrubbies, one guy that i know of has cut up straws, lava rock, cheap ceramics, expensive ceramics (eheim), etc.
i dont understand why people buy the expensive ceramics, the more expensive stuff doesnt make make any more of a noticeable impact than moving from lava rock to ceramic noodles for example. its just a waste of money IMO.

stuff like bio balls and scrubbies are more efficient in wet/dry filters than fully submerged in sumps but bio balls still work well fully submerged.
i find pond filter sponge much cheaper than canister specific foam but the pond matts are quite large so you may get a few pieces from one matt, also the filter wool matt for final polishing in department stores, walmart for you in the US i think, on rolls is much cheaper that aquarium specific stuff.

read this http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88677 and http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=264851&highlight=biological

 

[Burto]

In a canister, bioballs+coarse sponge, ceramic/sintered glass media+coarse sponge, fine sponge+filter floss.
Just about any brand will do the job fine. I'd personally go for sintered glass noodles over ceramic, seems more porous to me.

 

[geronimo69]

I have a fluval 405 packed with plastic scrubbies ( they cost about $1 for 4 ). I also run 1 bag of carbon and sponges. The same tank has an AC110 with scrubbies and a massive bag of carbon.

Basically, for BIO filtration, you need something with a lot of surface area. I find that plastic scrubbies, once cut and unravelled, cannot be beat. BIO filtration is the key to healthy tanks.

 

[Cliff519]

I use nothing but sponges and biomax rings in all of my tanks. I find that the largest amount of bacteria that you can get in your filter will keep your water quality a lot better than another other type of media, at least thats been my experiance

 

[Griller]

BioChem Zorb is an expensive but magic chemical media to add. It picks up all the tannins and food colours that bio doesn't touch, keeping your water crystal clear

 

[nfored]

I have 1L of biomatrix, .5L of Biomax, and like 10lbs of lava rock. I use DIY filter socks. I can say that the lava rocks do the most work IN MY SETUP, I say this because I removed 2 handfuls to seed another tank, and had a mini cycle.

I have never used any of those fancy synthetic medias, but I am researching them for my drip system.