Best media for a canister filter?

[Godly3vil]

hey guys, what is the best media to use in a canister filter? And the best way to set it up?

[Jennifer]

I like Eheim Pro media. It seems to last longer than the others but it could just be my imagination. In theory, the best media has lots of surface area (like rough ceramic noodles). You can use all sorts of different media like bioballs and noodles but the rough ceramic (like Eheim Pro or other similar media) have the highest surface area so in theory will produce more areas for bacteria to colonise (this is important if your media gets clogged frequently).

Media can get clogged with gunk and this will reduce the surface area so most manufacturers recommend replacing media occasionally (I think it is usually once yearly). I have to admit, I have never replaced mine but I do rinse it very well whenever I give the filter a clean (usually once a year or whenever flow decreases). To keep the media from getting clogged up, place coarse sponge as a prefilter, either on the filter intake (where it is easy to remove and clean) or within the filter.

Here's one possible arrangement:

water inflow>coarse sponge>small ceramic noodles>Eheim Pro/large rough ceramic noodles>filter wool>water out flow

(Filter wool is used to polish the water, it is really too fine for prefiltering, unless you can change it every week or two.)

[Godly3vil]

Thanks Jennifer, thats how mine is setup already. Though I am using activated carbon aswell.

[Joe]

Apparently Seachem Matrix is pretty good. Very expensive though. Here's the description on their website - http://www.seachem.com/Products/product ... atrix.html

Otherwise, like Jen, I've found Eheim Ehfisubstrat Pro and Eheim EhfiMech to work very well. I only use Eheim filters on my aquariums and most of their filters come with media.