lunchie

Okay, so I have a Filstar XP3 and I am getting conflicted advice. The store insisted that I don't follow the manual in regards to the order of the media in the baskets. The suggested I reverse the order because that way the bio balls/ rings would be in the bottom basket and would never be taken out becuase if you did take them out it would kill all your bacteria...So can someone please advise if this is true and what I should put in each basket in what order and if you can expose your bio media to air or if it should always remain in the water...Thanks so much...we are just setting up the tank and I surely don't want to start out wrong!
Thanks
Lunchie

Dino

Welcome to Fishlore.

It is best to arrange your media so that the media that traps the largest particles is the first media the water encounters as it goes into the filter.
This will also cause your filter to clog less.

Your bacteria are fine for several minutes exposed to air.

lunchie

Thank you. I have now reviewed the book even more closely and realize that the way the flow of water runs in it that it will filter it from the bottom up through the baskets and then back out to the tank therefore it makes sense to put the bio balls/rings in the top basket and the filter pads at the bottom. Thanks for your reply...

Dino

Not a problem, glad I could help out.

Gunnie

I have an XP2 and XP3 running on my 100 gal. tank. I have the foam on the bottom, and bio stars and/or balls and ceramic noodles in the top basket. If It's gonna take longer than a few minutes to clean the filter, I simply place the top basket with the bio media in the tank until the filter is ready to be put back together. Keep in mind that ceramic media will make the basket sink. Bio balls and/or stars are much lighter and the basket will float.