What Filter Media And Where?

[Too Fast]

I have a fluval 405 filter that I put onto my 180L tank. I want to re-do the media as its time for some of it to be replaced. What media would you use and in which baskets would you place it in. What do each part of the media do and why would you put it in that order?

Thanks.

 

[Too Fast]

Anyone??...

 

[Skies]

I'd toss everything but the bio media, (meaning tossing the carbon), you don't have to replace your filter media until it is literally falling apart, and that can takes months and months and months, if you need to clean it, gently do so in dirty tank water, like during a water change or gravel vac, but don't rinse it too much! You want to leave the majority of the Beneficial Bacteria intact, that's the good stuff.

 

[fluttermoth]

You want a coarse, mostly mechanical, first, to stop your biomedia getting clogged; coarse sponge is good. You can clean that fairly aggressively, in old tank water, and it will still hold some bacteria.
 
Then your biomedia; more sponge (finer) or, preferably, something like ceramic rings or Alfagrog.
 
Lastly a layer of floss. That just gives the water a final polish, to get rid of any small 'bit's. You wash that out under the tap, if you need to, until it gets a bit manky, then just replace it.
 
Nothing else in your filter, apart from floss, should be changed.

 

[Skies]

You want a coarse, mostly mechanical, first, to stop your biomedia getting clogged; coarse sponge is good. You can clean that fairly aggressively, in old tank water, and it will still hold some bacteria.
 
Then your biomedia; more sponge (finer) or, preferably, something like ceramic rings or Alfagrog.
 
Lastly a layer of floss. That just gives the water a final polish, to get rid of any small 'bit's. You wash that out under the tap, if you need to, until it gets a bit manky, then just replace it.
 
Nothing else in your filter, apart from floss, should be changed.

 
Save for the carbon.... if there is any...

 

[Too Fast]

Thank you