Which Cannister Filter Media Combination Should I Use?

[klein]

Hi all


I have a new 204L community tank and have run the eheim filter that I got with it for 1 month now (Eheim 2026 Pro 2 cannister filter).

My plant selection arrives this week and as its time to chuck the old carbon (used for 1 month) I am keen to know the best filter media combination for a planted community tank. Do I need to omit the SUBSTRATPRO and ACTIVE CARBON SPONGE? I thought I read somewhere on here that carbon in filters are bad for plants.

Basically I want to give the plants and fish the best chance. I'm not going Co2 as yet just lots of light and some good quality substrate (a very black looking 'wet' caribsea and standard gravel).

The Eheim has 2 media containers and usuallly takes 'ehfi mech', 'substartpro' and 'active carbon sponge' in addition to the standard white filter pad and blue filter sponge

Any other suggestions for media combinations greatfuly recieved (and where you've found them cheap would be handy too!).

many thanks

John

 

[Themuleous]

I just use sponge in all my filters, nothing more fancy than that! And yes remove carbon, its not that its bad for plants its just that it removes many of the trace elements from the water most of which the plants use to growth, the most important one being iron.

Sam

 

[klein]

Sam

Many thanks

when you just use sponge only do you just fill the cannister with more than one of the course blue eheim sponges/fine white filter sponges or do you just still use one only and leave the media baskets partially empty?

Also my filter came with ceramic noodles but no substratpro. Do i not need to buy any substratpro if i'm considering the planted community tank of which i speak?

regards

John

 

[Themuleous]

PM sent and no don't leave any of the baskets empty, get as much sponge in there as possible.

Sam

PS - I do read new posts you know