# kanister filter with 5 stage



## klauspabst (Feb 17, 2014)

I bought me a 5 stage canister filter for my 60 gal freshwater tank. My question today is what should i use in each stage of the canister. Or do i need 5 stages?


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

No sense having 5 chambers and not putting something in each?I'm the sponge guy.They're cheap ,effective and serve multiple functions.I would fill 3 of the stages with sponge(first second and last). With the last being a sponge that would be my bio(only cleaned in old tank water during waterchanges when necessary),but section 4 could be a bio material like ceramic rings.And the third stage is perfect for purigen.Don't even bother with carbon it is useless and waterchanges on a regular schedule do WAY more for WAY le$$.I think I filled all 5 pretty cheaply .Purigen is able to be regenerated with bleach and water so it really doesn't get better than that(some of mine is over 2 years old!).


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## klauspabst (Feb 17, 2014)

That sounds good! Thank you for your answer


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Maybe even the white wool floss in one stage,but this needs to be thrown away.It works great but if we can save $$ on equipment we can get better fish!


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## StevenT (Jun 11, 2013)

coralbandit said:


> Maybe even the white wool floss in one stage,but this needs to be thrown away.It works great but if we can save $$ on equipment we can get better fish!


You want cheap? No problem. Quilting batting from Joann fabrics works great for Floss and is real cheap. Also nylon pot scrubbers from the dollar store are great for bio media. Setting up a canister with this stuff would cost less then 20 bucks. Do some Googly searches you will find great ideas for cheap effective filter media. I haven't paid fish store rip off prices for years.


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## pogobbler (Jan 4, 2013)

I agree with the cheap options some have mentioned. In my own 4 stage filter, I've got some nylon pot scrubbers in the first stage, then some Seachem Matrix bio media, of which I have enough to take some out on occasion to fill new filters with so I avoid cycling problems, then some sponges that came with the filter when I bought it. This set up has seemed to do very well in my 75 gallon tank I'm currently growing an oscar in. Cheap and effective.


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## Avraptorhal (Jan 24, 2013)

I have a Fluval 206 canister. I just use the sponges and Biomax ceramic rings that came with it in the first two trays. I added some felt pads in the last tray because I wanted to keep micro junk out of water. 

I've had the stock accidently overstocked and the ammonia levels have never been a problem. At first the Nitrates were too high but I got that down with WC. Now the WC are down to 2 - 50% per week and the Nitrates are down to 20 ppm.

The directions that come with filters usually tell you to change the media monthly which it seems to be a way to sell more media. I clean my filter about every 2 months using the water removed from the tank during the WC. Just swish the media in the water and you're go to go.


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## Botiadancer (Dec 30, 2013)

I would put bioballs or something similiar in all five stages and a prefilter on the intake in the tank. Open your canister once a year or less, as the bioballs won't trap any dirt. Clean the prefilter every couple days - only takes a minute or two.

Or

I would do something similiar to Mr. Bandit and have sponges - though I would have them in all five stages. Fine floss/sponge at the end, extra course at the beginning, and normal everywhere else. Guessing you might have 2-5 normal sponges per stage, I would clean the heck out of 1 normal sponge and all floss/fine and extra course sponges each time I do maintenance on the filter. This would always give a squeaky clean sponge to grow bacteria on, as that first thin layer of bacteria is always the most efficient.

It really depends on how often you wish to open the canister and how much work you want to do.


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