New Canister!

Hey Everyone!
I'm super excited my Sun Sun canister filter arrived today for my 55 gallon. I will be leaving my existing fluval U4 amd U3 in the tank indefinitely but I'm hoping this will help with more filtration and water flow. I used to have another U3 in there but I had to move it to another tank and I notice thd difference. This is my first canister and I've been looking at YouTube videos about what and how to put sponges and media in. There are 4 trays. What do you all do in yours? What do you suggest? I have course sponges, fine sponges, ceramic rings, bioballs, carbon and extra of all these that came with the filter. I also have Seachem matrix and some fluval ceramic rings. Excited to see some responses before I set it up and get it going. I'm going to get my media in order before I do anything else.

How it came in the box
From the bottom basket up:
Basket 1.) Blue course sponge, white polishing pad
Basket 2.) White polishing pad, carbon
Basket 3.) White polishing pad, plastic bioballs
Basket 4.) White polishing pad, bag with ceramic rings.

Also should I rinse it down before use? It kinda smells. (I probably just answered my own question.)

Hey Everyone!
I'm super excited my Sun Sun canister filter arrived today for my 55 gallon. I will be leaving my existing fluval U4 amd U3 in the tank indefinitely but I'm hoping this will help with more filtration and water flow. I used to have another U3 in there but I had to move it to another tank and I notice thd difference. This is my first canister and I've been looking at YouTube videos about what and how to put sponges and media in. There are 4 trays. What do you all do in yours? What do you suggest? I have course sponges, fine sponges, ceramic rings, bioballs, carbon and extra of all these that came with the filter. I also have Seachem matrix and some fluval ceramic rings. Excited to see some responses before I set it up and get it going. I'm going to get my media in order before I do anything else.

 

You can rinse the media in dechlorinated water first. I'd personally lose the carbon, as it needs to be changed often. I would just replace it with more bio-media.

 

It's up to you really.

I like the ceramic rings my self. I usually do the rings with a couple bio balls mixed in. Then the top basket all polishing pads.

I don't really use carbon either.

 

use purigen. Or chemI pure. Both work wonders.

 

I only use polyfill (like from a craft store), micron felt pads, and ceramic rings in mine. I don't have a need for chemical filtration.

 

I only use polyfill (like from a craft store), micron felt pads, and ceramic rings in mine. I don't have a need for chemical filtration.

Not to sound like a total n00b, but why no carbon? Earnestly just trying to learn

use purigen. Or chemI pure. Both work wonders.

I suppose I could (and will) google it but what are these products?

 

There's no need to use carbon unless you're trying to remove meds in the water.

 

yah carbon just removes some chem & metals from the water. I really only use it during new tanks or clearing a hospital of meds.

Carbon has to be replaced every month and established tanks don't really need it.

purigen is like a "advanced carbon" that removes ammonia. never used it but heard its good.

 

What metals does it remove?

 

In my existing filter it is attached to a floss so I change the one of the two cartridges every month (or so lol) so what I can do is continue to use the carbon in my underwater filters and do some extra media in the canister. That purigen sounds awesome I looked at it and that may be a good idea for me. Thanks for telling me about it

yah carbon just removes some chem & metals from the water. I really only use it during new tanks or clearing a hospital of meds.

Carbon has to be replaced every month and established tanks don't really need it.

purigen is like a "advanced carbon" that removes ammonia. never used it but heard its good.

What metals does it remove?

I was wondering too. I have well water and I was advised to use carbon. That's why I've been using it

 

Advised by who?

 

Advised by who?

The guy at LFS. He said it would help?

 

He might be just trying to sell you something, as carbon should be changed monthly. It shouldn't be necessary.

 

I've also seen ceramic rings used on the bottom of the canister? Anyone do this?

What do you guys think about bioballs?

 

You want the water to hit the mechanical media before the biomedia so it doesn't clog the biomedia. Some filters run the water bottom to top, and some run them top to bottom. It depends on the filter you have as to where the media should go.

Bioballs are fine, but I don't think you need both ceramic rings and bioballs unless you just want them.

 

He might be just trying to sell you something, as carbon should be changed monthly. It shouldn't be necessary.

Yeah, that's why I'm here asking people not trying to sell me stuff. The filter runs bottom to top so I'm thinking the mechanical on the bottom. It came with rings and balls? I don't have to use them. I've always used ceramic (Fluval) and Seachem Matrix.

 

You can use whatever biomedia you want, and more than one kind if you wanted. I just didn't want you to think that you needed to buy more!

 

I was wondering too. I have well water and I was advised to use carbon. That's why I've been using it

Heard like leaching metals like copper. But really I think most good water conditioners break them down so the filters can catch them

 

Carbon is the store's way to make money....I wouldn't use carbon because you have to replace it monthly, and it gets really expensive.....

 

This is a good post on another forum of Bio Balls Vs Ceramic rings.

 

In my SunSun canister filter I have one corse sponge, one medium sponge and one fine sponge in bottom basket. The other two are filled with BioHome Ultimate. No carbon in that filter.

 

I don't think carbon removes copper effectively, but I could be wrong.

 

I personally like carbon in my HOB filters I buy it in 20 lb bags. It helps with my water clarity. I also use purigen, After my tank cycles. I had it slow down my tank cycles because it cleans so well. I just can't put it in all my tanks.

 

In a canister, it is harder to get to than a HOB.

 

In my SunSun canister filter I have one corse sponge, one medium sponge and one fine sponge in bottom basket. The other two are filled with BioHome Ultimate. No carbon in that filter.

Where did you get the medium from? I don't think I'm going to do carbon either at this point. I will keep it to remove meds if I need it in the future.

 

I personally like carbon in my HOB filters I buy it in 20 lb bags. It helps with my water clarity. I also use purigen, After my tank cycles. I had it slow down my tank cycles because it cleans so well. I just can't put it in all my tanks.

I just got some purigen today! What can't you put in all your tanks?

 

use purigen. Or chemI pure. Both work wonders.

Thanks again for the tip, I researched the purigen and got some today. I like seachem products (except for ammonia alert that thing never worked). I'm excited to use it. I got 2 packages should I put them both in a basket?

 

I just got some purigen today! What can't you put in all your tanks?

Soom of my tanks are sponge filter only. Some are grow out tanks with HOB filters with no room to put it.

 

Soom of my tanks are sponge filter only. Some are grow out tanks with HOB filters with no room to put it.

Ah ok that makes sense!

 

Good luck.

 

Where did you get the medium from? I don't think I'm going to do carbon either at this point. I will keep it to remove meds if I need it in the future.

I got it from this website.



I got my medium sponge and the BioHome Ultimate for my SunSun 302. You just gotta cut off the corners and cut a hole out. I got the 6 1/2" square piece.

I do have carbon in my HOB as it's much easier to access that.