what media do I put in what filter for optimum filtration ?

[Acipenser]

This is for my 125G
All right so I now have an XP3 that I have a coarse sponge in the bottom basket and the other baskets filled with ceramic rings. This is my bio filter, I have 2 ac 110's what set up would be optimum as mechanical filters on the 110's, I dont care how often I have to clean them as long as I can clean the fine particlutes out of the water.
My other thought is picking up a second xp3 and making it a mechanical filter any thought on this ?

I like my water to look like drinking water

 

[JakeH]

Put a sponge prefilter on the XP3 intake. Leave the AC110 intakes open & load them with sponges & polishing floss. That will make it easier for you to swap polish cloths & clean the sponges without disturbing the XP3.

 

[Acipenser]

Thanks. Thats about what I thought except I find foam prefilters rather unsightly thats why I put a coarse sponge in the bottom.

 

[Toby_H]

Thanks. Thats about what I thought except I find foam prefilters rather unsightly thats why I put a coarse sponge in the bottom.

This also works... but you will want to open up the canister to clean out that sponge fairly often... otherwise the flow rate will drop considerably...

Using a prefilter for a canister is nice as prefilters can be slipped off and rinsed in a matter of a minute or two...

In my AC 110s I use either two sponges or a sponge on top and filter floss on bottom...

 

[crisper]

In my canisters i use the stock coarse sponges and bio media only. In my ac110 filter floss and stock sponges.

 

[JakeH]

I like to keep the big gunk as far away from my biomedia as possible. Cuts down on cleaning/killing the BB.

 

[Toby_H]

I like to keep the big gunk as far away from my biomedia as possible. Cuts down on cleaning/killing the BB.

Also the "benefit" to bio media is it's vast surface area... when it gets gummed up water cannot access the interior surface area thus reducing it's practical surface area to a mere fraction of what it should be...

and it doesn't take much build up to plug up a hole that is only 10 microns or so in diameter to begin with... So don't leave your bio media uncleaned for too long...