# Top Fin Power Filter 10 - Set up - Filter Cartridge



## ByTheSea

Hi all.

I'm new to the aquarium world. I have a question with regard to the set up of a Top Fin 10 Power Filter, please see the pics in my profile gallery, I left a description for each pic as well. The set up manual is not clear about this, so I'm asking for advice here in the forum.

Pic 1: Water flows first through carbon cartridge, then through sponge, then back into tank.

Pic 2: Water flows first through sponge, then through carbon cartridge, then back into tank. 

The filter comes with a holder unit for the carbon cartridge and the sponge. This holder is inserted into the filter chamber. There are two ways to insert the holder, which affects the order the water flows through the filter mediums. I need to know which one is the correct way to insert the holder please.

Thanks to everyone, really appreciated.


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## Marshall

on my filters, i like to have the water go through the sponge first to evenly distribute the water to the next section, but that's personal preference.

plus, you may just want to ditch the carbon in favor of some sort of bio-media, ceramic or other, you dont really need carbon other than for removing meds from the water. a lot of people only use mech/bio


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## ByTheSea

Thank you, good advice. I also think that the sponge filters out any solids that should not clock up the carbon or bio filter.


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## hotwingz

Ya I don't use stock media setups really at all. They're all modified in some way. But as long as the water flows over\through the media its going to do it's job. And on the carbon note, again not in my filters.


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## Gizmo

Most filters run 3 stages of filtration - mechanical, chemical, and biological. They're usually staggered like that with mechanical (sponge) first, to strain out the gunk that might have been sucked up by the filter, so it doesn't clog up the less porous chemical filtration (carbon, Purigen, ammo-zorb, peat moss, crushed coral, water softening pillows, etc.).

Mechanical filtration can also serve as biological filtration, in that the sponge can host some beneficial aerobic nitrifying bacteria. If you have a filter like an AquaClear, there's usually a third stage that consists of ceramic "bio media", which does nothing more than serve as media with large surface area for the above mentioned bacteria to colonize.

As stated, carbon really does nothing more than filter out chemical impurities like medications, and can absorb some odor-causing particles that make your tank smell like a pond. I would advise switching out for additional bio media, or maybe some Purigen to absorb some nitrates, peat moss to soften the water, crushed coral to raise the hardness, etc.


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