Equipment & Supplies • Canister Filter Media

[Ohio Cichlid Lover]

I have a Marineland 220 C canister filter. Here is a list of the media in the filter:

First Basket: Piece of Filter Material laying on Ceramic Rings

Second Basket: Bio Balls

Third Basket: 2 Bags Of Activated Carbon

Bottom Basket: 2 Sponge Pads

Is there anything that I can improve upon? Replace something?? Change the order of the baskets??

Thanks!

[fusion]

I have the same filter(same manufacturer, different name) and this is what i have in mine

mechanical media in the bottom tray...coarse blue pad on the bottom of bottom tray with one of the white pads on top. In the middle tray I put a white pad on bottom and fill the rest with ceramic rings. In the top tray fill with ceramic rings as well but without the white pad.

I was advised not to run carbon unless there is a special reason to(removing medication)

The blue filter pads i buy in a sheet and cut to fit

[13razorbackfan]

I have the same filter(same manufacturer, different name) and this is what i have in mine

mechanical media in the bottom tray...coarse blue pad on the bottom of bottom tray with one of the white pads on top. In the middle tray I put a white pad on bottom and fill the rest with ceramic rings. In the top tray fill with ceramic rings as well but without the white pad.

I was advised not to run carbon unless there is a special reason to(removing medication)

The blue filter pads i buy in a sheet and cut to fit

This is how I have mine set up as well...works great.

[fusion]

I have the same filter(same manufacturer, different name) and this is what i have in mine

mechanical media in the bottom tray...coarse blue pad on the bottom of bottom tray with one of the white pads on top. In the middle tray I put a white pad on bottom and fill the rest with ceramic rings. In the top tray fill with ceramic rings as well but without the white pad.

I was advised not to run carbon unless there is a special reason to(removing medication)

The blue filter pads i buy in a sheet and cut to fit

This is how I have mine set up as well...works great.

Just looked back at my posts, it was you who advised me on this razorbackfan

[13razorbackfan]

I have the same filter(same manufacturer, different name) and this is what i have in mine

mechanical media in the bottom tray...coarse blue pad on the bottom of bottom tray with one of the white pads on top. In the middle tray I put a white pad on bottom and fill the rest with ceramic rings. In the top tray fill with ceramic rings as well but without the white pad.

I was advised not to run carbon unless there is a special reason to(removing medication)

The blue filter pads i buy in a sheet and cut to fit

This is how I have mine set up as well...works great.

Just looked back at my posts, it was you who advised me on this razorbackfan

LOL....I talk to so many people I can't remember here or in PM who I have advised. Just glad I can help.

[Ohio Cichlid Lover]

Ok so I should replace the carbon bags with ceramic rings? That would leave me with a setup like this

1st tray.......ceramic rings
2nd tray.......bio balls
3rd tray........ceramic rings
4th tray........course sponge

Use a filter pad possibly on each level except the very top??

[Ohio Cichlid Lover]

I'm going to check my water parameters tonight. For some reason I can't solve my cloudy water problem. The water is clean and doesn't have any smell to it. It's just a tad bit cloudy???

[Ohio Cichlid Lover]

One more thing.....I use well water. Is there any reason for me to use a water conditioner??

[13razorbackfan]

One more thing.....I use well water. Is there any reason for me to use a water conditioner??

Nah.....

As for the media baskets. You list them as tray 1-4. I am assuming tray 1 is the top tray? This is how I have mine set up:

Top basket: ceramic rings
Second basket: Ceramic rings
Third basket: two blue/white bonded marineland filter pads cut to fit white side facing up. On top of those two pads I have one of the white fine polish pads on top.
Bottom basket: Bottom of this basket I have the blue coarse sponge(not sure on the marineland filter what color it is but it will be very porous) and one blue/white bonded marineland filter pad cut to fit white side facing up.

[Ohio Cichlid Lover]

Just tested my water...

PH......8.2
Nitrites......0
Ammonia....0
Nitrates......40

Nitrates seem alittle high?? Could that be causing my cloudy water? I just did a 40% water change yesterday. I will go with your setup razorback but I will keep the bio balls instead of adding another basket of ceramic rings. I will take out the carbon and add filter pads.

[13razorbackfan]

Just tested my water...

PH......8.2
Nitrites......0
Ammonia....0
Nitrates......40

Nitrates seem alittle high?? Could that be causing my cloudy water? I just did a 40% water change yesterday. I will go with your setup razorback but I will keep the bio balls instead of adding another basket of ceramic rings. I will take out the carbon and add filter pads.

The rings would work better than the bioballs but the bioballs will still work. I would do a 50% water change to get your nitrates to 20. Another water change won't hurt. As for cloudiness....could be many different things. Just real hard to say.

Could be not enough filtration because the load is too great, could be substrate, algae bloom possibly, etc....

[Ohio Cichlid Lover]

Well I don't think it's an algae bloom. I will try some water changes the next few days. Although my Nitrites and Ammonia are at zero, I still may be lacking enough good bacteria. I reduced the amount of gravel in the tank. I have less than 1/2 inch of gravel. I may not have enough to support the good bacteria??

[13razorbackfan]

Well I don't think it's an algae bloom. I will try some water changes the next few days. Although my Nitrites and Ammonia are at zero, I still may be lacking enough good bacteria. I reduced the amount of gravel in the tank. I have less than 1/2 inch of gravel. I may not have enough to support the good bacteria??

You could test every couple days to see if you are getting any ammonia or nitrites. What size tank is this again?

[Ohio Cichlid Lover]

55 Gallon. Red Devil (7"), two Dempsey's (4"), two Sun Cats (4"), Convict (3"), Common Pleco (7"), Senegal Bichir (7").

[13razorbackfan]

55 Gallon. Red Devil (7"), two Dempsey's (4"), two Sun Cats (4"), Convict (3"), Common Pleco (7"), Senegal Bichir (7").

Right now I am not going to get into your stocking issues as there are a few problems with some of the fish you have and the size aquarium. So what other filters do you have on this tank? I am assuming you have one marineland c360? How often and much are you feeding?

One thing you can do is a large water change(70%) then don't feed for a few days and see if the water stays clear.