Biological filter media?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
P

piscadero

Feeder Fish
Nov 21, 2007
1
0
0
Ohio
Fluval Ceramic Pre-Filter Media
Fluval BioMax Filter Media
Rena FilStar Bio-Chem Stars
FilStar Ceramic Rings


I just purchased a Rena XP2 canister filter for my 40 gallon freshwater tank. It comes with all media except biological. Here is my question. Which of the above media listed is suggested by you guys, the experts? The salesperson at my Petsmart was not sure which media was the best. Your help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
 
I would fill the bottom tray with the coarse and medium sponges that came with the filter. Then I would fill the entire upper tray with Fluval bio max.
 
I always use the biomax. It seems to be the best bang for the buck.
 
I like Seachem's Matrix biological media.

I talked to a LFS expert about this, and she informed me that plain ole' sponge media actually has the most surface area. Some here would disagree. Oddball knows how to figure out the formula for surface area in biomedia, and he recommends scrubbie pads.

I think it shouldn't matter much either way, as long as you 'over-do' it.. Unless your under-filtered or overstocked it's hard to exceed your biological capacity.
 
Biomax or scrubbies...the rest are overpriced for what you get out of them.
 
I haven't performed any side-by-side tests, but based upon particle size and shape, uniformity, density of packing and surface characteristics, the top performer per unit volume should be Eheim's Ehfisubstrat Pro. I use it in all my filters. It's not cheap but works well.
 
I generally use generic ceramic rings that are sold in bulk at one of the LFS's based on the price/preformance equasion. (buck and a half a LB is hard to argue with.) Scrubbies are not always available and of course Biomax when I can't get either of the previous two.
 
I use biomax in some filters, but in most of my filters I use Eheim's Ehfisubstrat pro.
 
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