# 2 Rena X3 filters



## Suess00 (Sep 5, 2008)

I just bought a used 125 gallon long tank dimensions 73" long, width 21". It is in perfect condition and it also came with 2 Rena X3 filters.

I have heard only good things about those filters but I do not know anything about them at all. In my 75 gallon tank all i have are 2 Marinland Dual BioWheels that hang off the back.

Here are some of the questions that I have which I hope yal can help me with.

1. What kind of maintance do I do on them like changing the filter or the white little cylinder things all the way on the bottom?

2. I have one attachment for each filter that sticks on the tank like a long tube with an open and off switch on there which leads into the tube with 6-9 small holes in there. I guess the water comes out of those or if you dont connect it to the other piece the water will just come out of the big opening.

3. How many times should I do the water change now with these new filters? Will cycling become faster?

4. When I start it up for the first time do I just let it suck up water itself or do I have to place water in the filter myself?

I never received any instructions on it at all so I really do not know anything about it. Any input will greatly help!!! Also any tips would be awsome also

Thanks 

Chris


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## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

#1 you do not change the little white cylinder things. That is your biological filter and it needs to maintain the bacterial colonies. The sponges can be rinsed in water change water. The time between depends on how heavily the tank is stocked. This filter is the one I play with the least. I only do maintenance on it every 3-4 months. 

#2 I believe you are talking about a spray bar. If you attach that then the water flow into the tank will be spread out along that and create a small current in the tank. You can also attach a power head to that (the original filter kit would come with the power head so look for it). The power head does not increase the actual output of the filter, but it does make the output more concentrated which creates a greater current. If you use the spray bar you can point it so that it breaks the surface of the water without spraying out of the tank. That will give the right amount of aeration. You would only need one to do this so you could point the other angled down to get a downward current if you want. I have an AC110 on my tank with my XP3 so I have the spray bar pointed down at an angle (not straight down) and the fish will swim in the current that provides. 

#3 Your water change schedule will still be driven by the boiload of the tank. You would still want to do those every 1-3 weeks depending on how heavily stocked it is. I do a WC on my 100 ga once every 3-4 weeks because it is so lightly stocked and it does fine that way. There is almost never any mulm to speak of. 

Cycling should not be any faster, but I cannot swear to that. I seeded my HOB when I cycled this tank so it didn't take me long at all. I seeded the HOB and added 6 giant danios. It was cycled in about 2 weeks. I added stock very slowly after that since 6 giant danio juveniles was just not much help in terms of waste production LOL. 

#4 you need to prime the unit. You can do this 2 ways. 1st you can fill it up as much as possible when you set it where you want it. Then you attache the hoses on top and make sure they are secure. Then you can finish priming this by using the priming inlet on the intake tube. This is the part that has the screw on top of the tube. It comes with a little funnel to do this with but if that is not there then you can just use any clean funnel (the first time I did this I had failed to put any water in the unit first and I guarantee you that took forever to prime!) Once the filter is filled almost to the top you screw the lid back on that and then you turn the filter on. Make sure the top of the filter is on tight  It will blow out some air for a bit but that should stop inside the first 30-40 minutes. For the first month I had mine it would occasionally spit out air and I never could figure out why. It wasn't ever enough that I was worried, just enough to be curious. I know some of the initial part of this had to do with air in new sponges. 

I really like mine and I hope that yours do you well! I wish I had a second one and could do away with the HOB. Maybe one of these days.


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## Suess00 (Sep 5, 2008)

Thanks for the great information.

Just to make sure that I understood you right.

I have to take the top of the Filters off and put water in there before I start the tank right? That is what you were talking about with the funnel. I got a little confused about that but I have that little funnel that you are talking about.


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

Chris:

Thanks for the PM and hopefully we can hook up this spring in Temple (several real good places to eat groceries around S&W and Chris & I would enjoy meeting you and your wife).

The problem with my commenting on a cannister filter is that I have very limited experience with them (that was with an Eheim) and hence please use Obs' judgment if conflicts.



Suess00 said:


> I just bought a used 125 gallon long tank dimensions 73" long, width 21". It is in perfect condition and it also came with 2 Rena X3 filters.


I am proud that you were able to find a larger aquarium as inexpensive as you did.

This is the *best description of the XP3 *which I could find: is this what you have?

Unfortunately I could not find any flow schematics for this filter.

Please note, and as I believe that I noted in another thread, the rated capacity of the XP3 is 350GPH which implies that you may experience only 175GPH in your real world conditions; you will experience 350GPH from both filters; your turnover rate will be approximately 3X per hour; and hence you will not want to get overstocked; and good maintenance will be necessary.




Suess00 said:


> 1. What kind of maintance do I do on them like changing the filter or the white little cylinder things all the way on the bottom?


As I could not find a flow diagram  never mind as i just found* one*: but the "white little cylinder things all the way on the bottom" are on the bottom I believe that the flow through the XP3# is from the top to the bottom wrong.

The cylinders are ceramic *biological filtration media* and move their basket to the top of the filter.

The XP3 appears to have 4 baskets and IMHO forget the various pads which are marketed.

I have a different configuration but a much less expensive one is to have your wife go to Hobby Lobby purchase and place:
the very fluffy quilt batting in the bottom basket,
the less fluffy quilt batting in the next basket, and 
synthetic, non-detergent pot scrubbers in the next basket.




Suess00 said:


> 2. I have one attachment for each filter that sticks on the tank like a long tube with an open and off switch on there which leads into the tube with 6-9 small holes in there. I guess the water comes out of those or if you dont connect it to the other piece the water will just come out of the big opening.


per Obs spay bars: use these as they will generate turbulence on the surface of the water.




Suess00 said:


> 3. How many times should I do the water change now with these new filters? Will cycling become faster?


Chris: WC's are filter independent but are plant density dependent.

Until you "get the hang" of your micro ecosystem 25% weekly WC's would be appropriate.




Suess00 said:


> 4. When I start it up for the first time do I just let it suck up water itself or do I have to place water in the filter myself?


Chris: Please read the *Instruction Manual*.




Suess00 said:


> Any input will greatly help!!! Also any tips would be awsome also


Chris: once again until you "get the hang of this setup" I would check the media each week when you do your WC.

Although I cannot find if the XP3 has "bypass flow" I anticipate that after a month or so you will be rinsing your mechanical filtration media in the WC water every couple of weeks and the biological filtration media in the WC water every couple of months.

TR

BTW:

In order to expedite cycling you can:
place some of the filter media from your 75G into your XP3's,
put 1 male Platy and 3 female Platy's in your 125G,
feed them sparingly; and
in two weeks put your Clowns into the 125G.

Also I do not remember if we have gone over the substrate and planting of the 125G but please wash the substrate very well (and I mean like five times) and root your your plants initially.


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