need some help with the rena xp3

[lascombes]

I'm considering buying a rena xp3 to go on my 100g along with the two emperor 400's i've got running now. I've never messed with canister filters before but I've heard rena is good brand.

What would be a good selection of media for for it? Should I even put the bio-stars or rings in there since I have the emperors? In the emperor's I use the blue carbon filter's plus I use zeolite in the extra slots. The canister filters have all kinds of stuff to use, I just don't know what to get. Macho-carbo, nitro-borg buster, softer pillows(?!?), lol. The water out here in Baton Rouge is pretty soft thank goodness. About the only thing I have to do to the water is remove the chlorine.

 

[rallysman]

I use the bottom tray for sponges, the middle tray is half quilt batting and half biomax, and the top is all biomax.

 

[Mr Pleco]

I have 3 XP3's currently running all set up the same way..bottom tray coarse sponges, middle tray Seachem Matrix Bio Media , third tray Coralife Pure-Flo 100 Micron Filter Pad.

All are re-usable with a quick rinse in tank water

 

[Monster VooDoo Fish]

It comes with the bottom tray sponges, fill the rest with plastic scrub pads and the top half
tray with that polly filter floss stuff.

 

[rallysman]

I would use something that would hold more surface area than the scrub pads, because you're working with limited space.

 

[importracer]

I have 3 XP3's currently running all set up the same way..bottom tray coarse sponges, middle tray Seachem Matrix Bio Media , third tray Coralife Pure-Flo 100 Micron Filter Pad.

All are re-usable with a quick rinse in tank water

I''ll give that Seachem Matrix a try...Right now I'm running an xP4 and xP3 on the 100....Bottom layer consists of those black sponges(x20 and x30), middle is filled with Bio-Stars and cylinders, and top layers hold ammonia removal stuff and that white "polishing" sponge...

 

[tiger125]

I have an XP4 with bottom full of sponges next bio stars next bio ceramic rings and then three layers of filter floss in the last basket.
If you have not yet bought the XP3 yet the XP4 is not much more $
Check out petsolutions.COM?

 

[Gr8KarmaSF]

i do the same as tiger....

 

[lascombes]

I haven't bought it yet, but after looking at the xp4 I'm thinking that might not be a bad idea. More room for media the better. It's almost a 80 dollar leap from the xp3 to the xp4. Is it really worth it? What do you guys think?

Right now my 100g has a 3"jag, 3"JD, 2"GT, 2" firemouth, a 2" black shark and a 14" common pleco in it.

 

[importracer]

Yes, it's worth getting...My current 100g planted piranha tank has a FilStar xP3 AND xP4 running...My parameters are perfect, and my plants are doing great...If for some reason I decide to add another 100g to the room, all I do is take one of my FilStars and place it on the new tank...