Do I need to put anything in an empty filter slot?

Hi guys! I have a Fluval 407 Performance canister filter and I'm not going to use the carbon that came with it. That means there will be an empty slot where the carbon would normally go. Would it be okay to run the filter with that one empty slot or should I put some other medium in it? Just in case I picked up a filter pad that can apparently run with the 407, it's a little big so I might have to trim it down to size. I also picked up a bag of this white stuff called "Imagitarium Filter Fiber" that I'm also wondering if I can put in there as additional medium?




Imagitarium filter fiber

 

Putting a piece of sponge in place of the carbon does not really have a downside if you don't use carbon. More surface area and you can take it out if you ever need carbon or want to seed another tank.

 

The more filter media the better, up to a point. You don't want so much it disrupts the flow of water. Putting a sponge or other form of media in there shouldn't disrupt the flow so go for it.

 

It's what I do in the hang on back ones.

Putting a piece of sponge in place of the carbon does not really have a downside if you don't use carbon. More surface area and you can take it out if you ever need carbon or want to seed another tank.

 

You can leave a media tray empty if you wish to do so, but to get the most out of your filter, add some type of media. You can add filter sponges, ceramic rings, lava rock, pumice stone or perlite. Some people even use nylon scrubbing pads. Just make sure whatever you add is aquarium safe. There is never a disadvantage of having extra media unless that media is activated carbon. In that case more is not necessarily better.

 

Putting a piece of sponge in place of the carbon does not really have a downside if you don't use carbon. More surface area and you can take it out if you ever need carbon or want to seed another tank.

Thanks Masterpython! That sounds great! The more of that good bacteria that can grow the better! And I can keep the carbon if I ever need it!

The more filter media the better, up to a point. You don't want so much it disrupts the flow of water. Putting a sponge or other form of media in there shouldn't disrupt the flow so go for it.

Thanks Mattgirl! I won't go overboard but I'll for sure add more media now! I'll put in a bit of the sponge pad and maybe a little filter fiber along with it and see how it works during the cycling process!

You can leave a media tray empty if you wish to do so, but to get the most out of your filter, add some type of media. You can add filter sponges, ceramic rings, lava rock, pumice stone or perlite. Some people even use nylon scrubbing pads. Just make sure whatever you add is aquarium safe. There is never a disadvantage of having extra media unless that media is activated carbon. In that case more is not necessarily better.

Thanks RayClem! That's fantastic to hear! I'm glad there's so much I could add in place of the carbon and experiment with in the long run! The filter fiber should work perfectly then! I have high hopes it's going to be a very good filtration system and a beautiful setup!

 

Thanks Masterpython! That sounds great! The more of that good bacteria that can grow the better! And I can keep the carbon if I ever need it!


Thanks Mattgirl! I won't go overboard but I'll for sure add more media now! I'll put in a bit of the sponge pad and maybe a little filter fiber along with it and see how it works during the cycling process!


Thanks RayClem! That's fantastic to hear! I'm glad there's so much I could add in place of the carbon and experiment with in the long run! The filter fiber should work perfectly then! I have high hopes it's going to be a very good filtration system and a beautiful setup!

In my 15 hex pump (whose impeller I just untangled interminably from filter floss, because I had no idea what I was doing the first time), I have a small clump of seeded floss for polishing (far away from the impeller, until I can wrangle a bag!), a sponge piece, and black lava stones on top holding it (and a handful of pothos stems) in place. The filter lid rattles- is there a HOB filter that isn't designed to wonk out in six months and need constant twiddling?)- so for function and aesthetics, this is how I'm doing it (in the new 29 gallon whose temporary HOB I also just 'fixed', I just have filter floss and seeded sponge, I am trying to polish that particulate out). On an experimental 'oh, the heck with it' note, I took the small amount of carbon and zeolite I spared my Biorb filter from using (filter floss under the sponge, just a little!) and buried it two inches deep in clay substrate, everything goes in the lasagna

 

add filter foam or even biomedia like bio balls or lava rock

 

add filter foam or even biomedia like bio balls or lava rock

The best deal I got on lava rock was getting a twenty pound sack of one to two inch stones, I was pricing filter media, and said hmmm- I have been sandwiching it in substrate, building height with it in pantyhose, filling sumps, weighting plants, and if my aesthetics would accept it, I think it would be fun to build with, create cichlid towers, ruins, to cover with moss, etc (I personally prefer my lava to be more unobtrusive)- a wall base for moss would be pretty sweet, too. I have busted the smooth stones into chonks (to be smaller and have more surface area) for filter media, I have pounded it into onyx sand to cap Fluval Stratum, it is SO USEFUL. I am actually out! I will try the red lava next time, and compare.

The best deal I got on lava rock was getting a twenty pound sack of one to two inch stones, I was pricing filter media, and said hmmm- I have been sandwiching it in substrate, building height with it in pantyhose, filling sumps, weighting plants, and if my aesthetics would accept it, I think it would be fun to build with, create cichlid towers, ruins, to cover with moss, etc (I personally prefer my lava to be more unobtrusive)- a wall base for moss would be pretty sweet, too. I have busted the smooth stones into chonks (to be smaller and have more surface area) for filter media, I have pounded it into onyx sand to cap Fluval Stratum, it is SO USEFUL. I am actually out! I will try the red lava next time, and compare.

I keep meaning to wrap a marimo around one, and see if that looks/works well, stabilizing it in place, biofilter, enlarging, preventing rot etc.

 

Consider adding layers of foam sponge in your 407's baskets.

Here are links to the Aquaneat brand of foam sheets sold on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/AQUANEAT-Aquarium-Sponge-Filter-Divider/dp/B085KWZ4N5/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=aquaneat+30+ppi&qid=1610571895&sr=8-3&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/Aquaneat-Ret...eywords=aquaneat+30+ppi&qid=1610571895&sr=8-1

They come in 20ppi and 30ppi porosity.

I bought a sheet of each in the larger size, and have cut out pads to go in my 3 canisters, and my Aquaclears.

I recently bought a Fluval 307, which is basically the 3-basket version of your 407 model.

I discarded the included "Bio-Max". It is the same that came with our Fx4, To me, the surface of it is hard and non-porous. Plus it has a huge void space in the middle that does absolutely nothing for filtration. In my opinion, it is a very poor bio-media offering minimal surface area for proper beneficial bacteria to colonize on.

In our 307, the bottom basket has the included black "bio-foam", the middle basket has the 20ppi foam and top basket with the 30ppi foam.

I would suggest to consider buying at least the 30ppi sheet of Aquaneat foam. You can cut it so it fits in the top basket, if not the top two baskets.

The 30 ppi foam will trap a tremendous amount of muck while colonizing a tremendous about of beneficial bacteria.

I have layers of their 20ppi and 30ppi in all my canisters.

 

I have been using acoustic musician foam here and there (cushioning heavy stones, adding bulk under substrate) myself.

 

Consider adding layers of foam sponge in your 407's baskets.

Here are links to the Aquaneat brand of foam sheets sold on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/AQUANEAT-Aquarium-Sponge-Filter-Divider/dp/B085KWZ4N5/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=aquaneat+30+ppi&qid=1610571895&sr=8-3&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/Aquaneat-Ret...eywords=aquaneat+30+ppi&qid=1610571895&sr=8-1

They come in 20ppi and 30ppi porosity.

I bought a sheet of each in the larger size, and have cut out pads to go in my 3 canisters, and my Aquaclears.

I recently bought a Fluval 307, which is basically the 3-basket version of your 407 model.

I discarded the included "Bio-Max". It is the same that came with our Fx4, To me, the surface of it is hard and non-porous. Plus it has a huge void space in the middle that does absolutely nothing for filtration. In my opinion, it is a very poor bio-media offering minimal surface area for proper beneficial bacteria to colonize on.

In our 307, the bottom basket has the included black "bio-foam", the middle basket has the 20ppi foam and top basket with the 30ppi foam.

I would suggest to consider buying at least the 30ppi sheet of Aquaneat foam. You can cut it so it fits in the top basket, if not the top two baskets.

The 30 ppi foam will trap a tremendous amount of muck while colonizing a tremendous about of beneficial bacteria.

I have layers of their 20ppi and 30ppi in all my canisters.

Wow! That stuff looks fantastic! I'd certainly like to give it a try now and add some! I'll get some soon! Thanks a bunch Islandvic!