Media Order

[EncryptedGod]

I purchased a Polar Aurora 525 gph canister & received it yesterday. I'm a bit confused as to what order I put the media in. Also, each tray had a cotton filter, why?

I'm using ceramics, charcoal, & bio balls. Do I use 1 of those cotton filter pads in a tray or all of them in one tray. Directions are vague and obviously been translated to English so it's hard to understand. Lastly, am I using the right media for 2 Bala Sharks in a 60gl tank. I need recommendations & your help is much appreciated.

 

[Cichlidude]

Bio balls are plastic. Plastic media should not be used in static filters. They are only used in large moving media/sump filters, so they should be removed. You should load the first tray (bottom tray) with course, medium and then fine pads to clean the water before it hits your bio media. Your next trays should be high surface area porous media like Matrix, Biohome or Marine Pure balls. Your ceramic media is OK to use. You should not need any chemical media unless you have water quality problems, which should go last. The more bio media mentioned above the better.

 

[johnbirg]

Hi! and welcome to fishlore.
You should have a course and a medium sponge. The water travels from the bottom tray to the top. You need mechanical filtration first then biological then chemical last. So bottom tray has the coarse pad on the bottom medium pad next then the fine pad on top. You only need 1 fine pad so keep the others to use as replacements. You will not have been supplied enough media as you need to then fill the remaining baskets with as much media as possible while allowing for the baskets to seal properly. You will probably need to get some extra sintered glass or ceramic media to do this. Last thing to go in the top tray is the activated carbon if you are sure you want that. Then you are good to go!

 

[EncryptedGod]

As far as The water quality, it's not great. I have those testing strips but I lost the reference color guide. I will remove the bio balls. I'm basically using the same media I used in the Marineland 360 canister. I figured I use them in this new setup. I will add the course filter. So you think I should not the charcoal? If so then I will use that tray for that cotton type filter. Which btw, how many of those do I add to the tray. All of em?

 

[johnbirg]

No, the bottom tray should have all three pads course medium and fine (cotton type) on top the 3 pads will all fit in the one tray. Long term use of carbon has been the subject of some studies and has been linked to fish diseases in saltwater tanks but not extrapolated to freshwater fish. I prefer not to use it but many people like to use it.

 

[Cichlidude]

If those are API test strips, try here for a color chart.

Looks like high Nitrates at over 160+
Nitrite - 0
pH - 8
The bottom 2, I don't know.
But you need an Ammonia test. Suggest you get the liquid API Freshwater Master Test kit.

Try here on how to load a canister filter.

No need for charcoal. Charcoal is only used to remove any medications from the water or any smells.

 

[EncryptedGod]

From left to right will be my order then?


Sorry for the confusion. Those are carbon bags. Yes, I always had high levels of nitrates and nitrites. It scares me. But my Bala Sharks don't seem to be affected though

 

[johnbirg]

That's what I was saying. The video says it best.

 

[Cichlidude]

Sorry for the confusion. Those are carbon bags

Carbon=charcoal.

 

[Islandvic]

If it were mine, I would throw as much of those ceramic rings it came with in the bottom of the canister body, then lower the first basket in. As the tank water enters the bottom of the canister, some of the larger muck will settle out in those ceramic rings as the water rises back up through the baskets.

The ceramic rings included in the SunSun's have very hard surfaces and are not very porous.

The coarse , medium, fine pads that was just mentioned above can be found on Amazon, from the seller "Aquaneat" that has 10ppi, 20ppI and 30ppI sheets of foam sponge.

You can layer those in the first basket topped off by the fine floss pads it came with.

The remaining 3 baskets can be filled with whatever you want, like the bio-media that cichlidude mentioned.

I concur with omitting the black bio-balls.

If you're on a budget, you can find 500g boxes of Fluval Bio-Max online for around $6-$8. A few of those will fill up the trays.

Fluval 500gram box of Bio-Max and Top Fin Media Bag

• Islandvic
• Dec 24, 2018

Fluval 500gram box of Bio-Max (large ceramic bio-media rings) can be found $6-$8 online and Top...

Or get a 4-liter bucket of Seachem Matrix from Kensfish.com for $27. Ken's does not charge tax for online purchases. I get a lot of supplies and fish food from there.

Also consider a pre-filter for the intake tube, also from Ken's Fish site (LINK). Both of my canisters use them.

 

[johnbirg]

From left to right will be my order then?
View attachment 579675

No, have a look at the video that Cichlidude posted and it will be clear.

 

[Cichlidude]

If it were mine, I would throw as much of those ceramic rings it came with in the bottom of the canister body, then lower the first basket in.

The ceramic rings included in the SunSun's have very hard surfaces and are not very porous.

Agree with Islandvic This is how my Sunsun 303 is loaded (only have 3 trays). Bio balls thrown out. Ceramic rings on bottom, loosely, not packed in. Then for tray 1, coarse, medium and 2 fine pads. Tray 2 and 3 full of Matrix.

 

[EncryptedGod]

No media was shipped with it. Juss the trays. :/

 

[Cichlidude]

No media was shipped with it. Juss the trays. :/

That would be normal. You will have to buy more.

 

[EncryptedGod]

Well, looks like I need to do some shopping 2morrow

 

[Cichlidude]

Well, looks like I need to do some shopping 2morrow

Well just to help, here are the pads for your filter.


You have a coarse and fine pads, this has medium and fine pads. I suggest Matrix for your bio media as it has the highest surface area.

 

[EncryptedGod]

Thank you all for your much needed help. I'm genius building computers but a total negative n00b @ fresh water tanking

 

[Cichlidude]

Thank you all for your much needed help. I'm genius building computers but a total negative n00b @ fresh water tanking

Just in case you are interested, each tray of your Polar Aurora/Sunsun holds about 2.5 liters of Matrix.

 

[EncryptedGod]

Thank you. & yes, I am interested

Would this be OK?


So.. Ceramic rings on bottom, Then for tray 1, coarse, medium and 2 fine pads as suggested and Tray 2 and 3 full of 2 liters of Matrix each. Right?

 

[johnbirg]

Right!

 

[EncryptedGod]

Thank you! Got it. I will do as you directed. I truly do appreciate you all.

 

[johnbirg]

Oh, don't get rid of the carbon. You may need it to get rid of meds at some point. Don't put it in the filter. Rinse it really well in the bag it came in and hang it under the spray bar and then it is easy to remove once it's done its job.

 

[EncryptedGod]

OK. Noted

 

[Islandvic]

Yes, the link to Petco for the Seachem Matrix is correct, but ouch! $6.22 for 1/2 liter is pricey!

If you can hold out a couple of days, you can get 4-liter bucket from Kensfish.com for $27 LINK. It would cost $50 if buying from Petco to get same volume as the bucket from Ken's.

I try to buy most of my supplies, fish food etc from Ken's. They are a small family owned business, charges no tax, free s&h on orders over $49, and excellent prices. I've been using their house brand of Ken's Fish Food for over a year. Highly recommend!

Cichlidude posted excellent link to the pre-cut foams. That would be a great addition to your canister

 

[Cichlidude]

Yes, the link to Petco for the Seachem Matrix is correct, but ouch! $6.22 for 1/2 liter is pricey!

If you can hold out a couple of days, you can get 4-liter bucket from Kensfish.com for $27 LINK. It would cost $50 if buying from Petco to get same volume as the bucket from Ken's.

I try to buy most of my supplies, fish food etc from Ken's. They are a small family owned business, charges no tax, free s&h on orders over $49, and excellent prices. I've been using their house brand of Ken's Fish Food for over a year. Highly recommend!

Cichlidude posted excellent link to the pre-cut foams. That would be a great addition to your canister

Here is the corrected link at Kens Fish.

2 liters is about $16.
4 liters of Pond Matrix is $27.

 

[Islandvic]

Fixed, thanks!

 

[EncryptedGod]

So... I'm going to get more ceramic, & the 123 pads, & add 2 full trays of Matrix. Correct?

 

[johnbirg]

Yes, you got it!

 

[Islandvic]

More ceramic rings?

The foam pads + Matrix should be enough

 

[EncryptedGod]

@cichledude. "You have a coarse and fine pads, this has medium and fine pads"

According to the description of those filters it says; 1 pc of blue coarse filter pads and 4 pcs of floss

 

[Islandvic]

I was just confused when you said you were "going to get more ceramic, & the 123 pads..."

 

[EncryptedGod]

My sharks

 

[Cichlidude]

@cichledude. "You have a coarse and fine pads, this has medium and fine pads"

According to the description of those filters it says; 1 pc of blue coarse filter pads and 4 pcs of floss

OK, then try these filter pads.

 

[EncryptedGod]

Juss received my matrix today. Should I rinse it first or go ahead and throw it is the canister

 

[Cichlidude]

Juss received my matrix today. Should I rinse it first or go ahead and throw it is the canister

Yes, always rinse new media.

 

[EncryptedGod]

Tank you.