# Swapping HOB for Rena XP2 Canister: Best media setup?



## amagad (Jan 6, 2013)

The filter should be in tomorrow. I'm going to run the xp2 alongside the aquaclear hob in tandem until the can can go solo but I want to know whats the most efficient setup for a can. I've learned that activated carbon is not necessary for day-to-day use so I will essentially have 1 extra tray to do what I want. Should I go with additional bio media or floss? I'm not sure what to do with the extra tray. Thanks in advance!


----------



## kay-bee (Dec 6, 2006)

This is how I'd configure the final canister basket (the top one):

1 layer of 100 micron filter pad (cut to size) lines the bottom of the basket. 

Then fill the basket with almost as much biomedia it can hold (ceramic noodles, biochem stars, Seachem matrix rock, etc, stuff like that).

Place another 100 micron filter pad on top of that. Place the square-grid separator on top of that and top add a final layer of 50 micron filter pad.

This maximizes your mechanical and biologic filtration.

This is how my XP3's are configured.


----------



## Higher_Primate (May 30, 2013)

I have two XP3s, and I dedicate the entire center basket to bio balls. The first basket I have the first half with ceramic pre filter, and then mechanical filtration the second half. That setup should work for the xp 2 fine, you could take out the prefilter and put in some bio chem zorb or something along those lines. I have the luxury of a 3rd basket to play around with for; phos sorb and nitrazorb pouches, I dont like to use carbon. You can use the super microfiltration pads, but I find that these become clogged and stop flow almost completely every week, and are near impossible to unclog. Granted, they take a lot of crap out of the water, but it becomes too high maintenance and high cost to keep up with replacing these, so I just use the microfiltration pads. For the XP2, put as much biological filtration media in it as you can get.


----------



## Oscar98 (Mar 24, 2013)

Higher_Primate said:


> I have two XP3s, and I dedicate the entire center basket to bio balls. The first basket I have the first half with ceramic pre filter, and then mechanical filtration the second half. That setup should work for the xp 2 fine, you could take out the prefilter and put in some bio chem zorb or something along those lines. I have the luxury of a 3rd basket to play around with for; phos sorb and nitrazorb pouches, I dont like to use carbon. You can use the super microfiltration pads, but I find that these become clogged and stop flow almost completely every week, and are near impossible to unclog. Granted, they take a lot of crap out of the water, but it becomes too high maintenance and high cost to keep up with replacing these, so I just use the microfiltration pads. For the XP2, put as much biological filtration media in it as you can get.


I do the same thing with my xp3. First basket has floss and ammonia reducing pads. Second basket has bioballs. Thirds has purigen and chemipure. Then nitrate reducing pads and floss.


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------

