# What Goes In Your Filter



## Franko44 (8 Feb 2011)

Hi Guy's.
What do you guys run in your filters, I guess because we need to keep the flow rate up as high as possible not a lot?
Please could you give me some information about what to run inside the filters and why...
I am going to be running 2 * JBL 1500E on my new  150cm * 40cm * 56cm tank. do you guys use carbon in your filters?
I was thinking of running with:
1.	Jbl Cermec is a filter material made of porous, hollow, ceramic pieces intended for use in fresh- and saltwater aquariums. JBL Ceremec can be used as prefilter material for large particles or as a biological filter. 
The hollow structure allows useful bacteria to settle and allows water to flow through at an optimal rate.

2.	JBL UniBloc contains 2 filter foam inserts for the mid-baskets. Both pads have a pore size of 20 ppi and are especially developed for bio-filtering.

3.	JBL Symec VL Filter Floss.

What do you guys think


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## Themuleous (9 Feb 2011)

I use 100% sponge in all my filters as I don't see the need for anything else. Might as well save yourself some money. I don't use carbon as to start with and if replaced it will remove ferts.to keep the flow up I tend to have at least one media basket empty if not two depending on the tank size and stocking.
 Sam

Sam


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## Tom (9 Feb 2011)

Bought the Ecco Pro second hand, and was filled completely with the Eheim ceramic balls or whatever they are (3 tiers). Then there's the pre-filter with a course sponge, and a polishing pad before the bio. Simple and very effective.


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## George Farmer (9 Feb 2011)

Current thinking is that it's a waste of money to get modern media, as a healthy planted tank is more than capable of dealing with the majority of nitrogenous waste, if you stock sensibly.

Like Sam says, sponge is adequate.

Our resident super-scaper, Peter Kirwan, uses the same I believe.

I tend to use whatever comes with the filter, then never replace it, just clean it regularly to maintain decent flow rates.


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## Radik (9 Feb 2011)

I am just installed activated carbon in to JBL e900 to deal a bit with Tanins from wood and white thin fleece to clear up fine particles which I remove later. I will use filter floss and a bit of ceramic media from running filter to kick start bacteria but seems those sponges are fine.


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## angelah (9 Feb 2011)

I have 2 filter for a 240l. One is a Fluval 305, the other the JBL CristalProfi e 1500.
The JBL comes with pads while the 305 comes with a mix, mainly carbon and Biomax tubes. The carbon got put to one side straight away and replaced with polishing pads. The JBL has options for all sort of additional sections that fit in the middle of the pads, but unless you are clearing chemical treatment or those tannins, you don't need them.
Just pads are fine for normal filtration, it's where the bacteria will live.
Carbon needs replacing at least once a fortnight otherwise when it gets maxed out there is a great possibility it will release the filtered gumph right back into your tank. So short term fine, but change regularly. But they are  not needed full time anyway.

Angela


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## angelah (9 Feb 2011)

I have 2 filter for a 240l. One is a Fluval 305, the other the JBL CristalProfi e 1500.
The JBL comes with pads while the 305 comes with a mix, mainly carbon and Biomax tubes. The carbon got put to one side straight away and replaced with polishing pads. The JBL has options for all sort of additional sections that fit in the middle of the pads, but unless you are clearing chemical treatment or those tannins, you don't need them.
Just pads are fine for normal filtration, it's where the bacteria will live.
Carbon needs replacing at least once a fortnight otherwise when it gets maxed out there is a great possibility it will release the filtered gumph right back into your tank. So short term fine, but change regularly. But they are  not needed full time anyway.

Angela


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## angelah (9 Feb 2011)

Ooops, sorry about the double, don't know what happened there.

Angela


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## dw1305 (9 Feb 2011)

Hi all,
I like ceramic rings and coarse PPI10 filter sponges. I just buy whatever ceramic rings are cheapest of EBay and put a coarse sponge some-where you can get at it easily for cleaning (usually just on the inlet). If I can get it I like the Poret sponge, but any coarse sponge will do.  

Other than that, try and keep the flow speed up to pull oxygenated water through the filter. A lot of the problems with canister filters (particularly for those who don't have planted tanks) are to do with the water becoming de-oxygenated in the filter. People like canister filters because they are easy to use, but they aren't necessarily always the best option. I like to keep in mind Clive's description of them as a "_pump in a bucket_". 

In lots of ways the best filters are wet & dry trickle filters, but they have down-sides of their own.

cheers Darrel


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## Franko44 (9 Feb 2011)

Thanks Guys... 

Lets hear from some more guys about "What Goes In Your Filter" and also what filters do you guys think are the best...  

Loving the feed back...


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## mdhardy01 (9 Feb 2011)

Running a Eheim 2180 with the Eheim media set
The efisubstrate pro I think is fantastic also run a fx5 with the same media in two baskets and carbon in the third 
Matt


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## Tom (9 Feb 2011)

Franko44 said:
			
		

> ...and also what filters do you guys think are the best...



Something solidly build with a large capacity, an appropriate turnover for your tank, and easy to maintain. For me, the best I've used is my Eheim Ecco Pro 300 (fantastic for maintenance). Second would be the Tetratec EX1200 (most reliable so far, maybe surprisingly). I really didn't like my Fluvals (2x 205 and 2x 105!) Who knows why I bought 4 of them!?! Cheap at the time though. Tried a JBL CristalProfi, and for the life of me couldn't prime it. Had a Rena XP something too, a big one - that leaked like a...erm... leaky thing. 

The little Azoo hang on back filters are great for nano's too. Easy maintenance and removal, and very cheap! 

Think that's all I've got external-wise!

Tom


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## LondonDragon (9 Feb 2011)

Tom said:
			
		

> Tried a JBL CristalProfi, and for the life of me couldn't prime it.


hmmm press the button on top of it a couple of times! lol


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## Tom (9 Feb 2011)

Yeh, cheers mate  It wasn't having any of it! Good job I didn't buy the thing myself, it was for a customer


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## Franko44 (9 Feb 2011)

Hi Tom, I have Three JBL 1500e and love them, real easy to use, and prime very easy... 

Did you fit the non return ball in the uptake, if you leave that out it will not prime, but it tells you that in the instructions...


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## dw1305 (10 Feb 2011)

Hi all,
I use a maxi-jet power head and sponge (usually a 12" x 4" x 4" coarse (PPI 10) Koi sponge, cut into 4" cubes for cleaning) in all the tanks as my spare filter. I've also had Rena IV4 and Eheim Aquaball internals, they are fine but more expensive than the maxi-jet and sponge and nothing like as flexible. The Rena is a bit short of media as well. 

I've got a couple of over-tank trickle filters (like a large deBruyn filter <http://www.aka.org/UserFiles/File/debruyn_filter.pdf>), an Eheim Liberty 2042 HOB (I've chucked away the inserts and put coarse sponge on the intake and ceramic rings in the body) and a variety of 2nd hand Eheim 2213 Classics, not all in use at the moment.

Last one is an Eheim 2211 Classic filled with "EHEIM SUBSTRAT Pro" (came with the filter). I really like these small 
Eheim filters 2211/2213, and if I could get another one cheaply I would definitely buy it.

cheers Darrel


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## Radik (10 Feb 2011)

Franko, by the way check out on German ebay JBL e1500 Greenline.  Not yet available in the UK so unless you already have them get these instead. Saving 46% energy comparing to old ones.


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## chrisfraser05 (11 Feb 2011)

I'm running a Aqua one 1200 and an ehiem ecco 600lt.

In the 1200 I've got a handfull of ceramic balls and a course sponge. My top tray is completely empty at the moment however I do fill it with floss for a few days if I've done a big plant/substrate move as using soil makes a mess lol

In the Ehiem I've just got the coarse sponge. This one has the co2 reactor inline with it so I am keeping it as free flow as possible.


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## LondonDragon (11 Feb 2011)

I always run them with what ever comes inside the filter, never changes sponges or media in my filters also, a good rinse once a month does the trick.


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