# Filter materials for Fluval 405?



## maximusfish (Sep 2, 2014)

I am just setting a 55 gal planted tank (no fish yet) and bought a used set-up that included a Fluval 405 filter with nothing in the canisters. I read that you shouldn't use too much charcoal for a planted tank, so do I just fill one basket with charcoal rather than 2? And ceramic rings in the top basket and what in the second basket? Any suggestions would be appreciated. I haven't done a tank in 25 years and it's all different now!


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## mikebike (Sep 8, 2010)

I used lava rock and scrubbing pads/the plastic ones in 2 of my trays


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## jbyoung00008 (May 16, 2011)

maxandjenny said:


> I am just setting a 55 gal planted tank (no fish yet) and bought a used set-up that included a Fluval 405 filter with nothing in the canisters. I read that you shouldn't use too much charcoal for a planted tank, so do I just fill one basket with charcoal rather than 2? And ceramic rings in the top basket and what in the second basket? Any suggestions would be appreciated. I haven't done a tank in 25 years and it's all different now!


There is a few different ways. Everyone has their own opinion on it. Heres mine. I have 5 canister filters between all my tanks. I run them all but 1 with only Bio media. Im not a fan of pot scrubbers(no offence mike) I prefer any of the bio rocks tubes that are out there. I probably have 5 different kinds. I don't use carbon or anything else in my filters except the 1. On my rena that has 4 trays I use 1 tray for purigen or anything else I want to add since that tank has 2 canisters. I also run a hang on filter on all my tanks. That is where I will put filter floss or carbon or whatever else you want to add. Reason being. Its a pain in the butt to clean the canister frequently, so I use them to house good bacteria only. I use the foam pads as well. If you add filter floss or anything like that it will clog and slow down the filter fairly quickly. Than you will be taking it a part more often. The reason I use HOB filters is because they are easy to clean and maintain and most are little work horses. Ill clean it every couple of weeks my canisters once a month. (I have a lot of fish). I know a bunch of people do the same as me. I prefer to have as much bio media as I can for the soul reason of the nitrogen cycle. The more bacteria, the easier it is to maintain the tanks water parameters = The more fish I can have.

Carbon or as you called it Charcoal which I don't think it is but never the less isn't needed all the time in a planted tank or most tanks. It has its purposes. It gets rid of smelly water or yellow water or it removes medication. Other than that it's just taking up space in the filter which as I mentioned Id rather have more Bio media than band aids. I will run carbon every now and than for a week or two to help polish up the water if I find it smelly. If you are keeping up with your water changes. Your water shouldn't get smelly or yellow(unless you have wood that leaches yellow) so the carbon really isn't needed.

Good luck with the tank. Keep asking questions. A lot has changed in 25 years. I argue with my Dad all the time about new age fish keeping versus old school. Tanks now a days are way nicer and more stable because of our new understanding of good bacteria and the nitrogen cycle.


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## Snugpuppies (Jun 7, 2014)

I'm a fluval guy - and as stated, we all have our own way that works. I usually have foam or pad in the bottom tray...with the top two trays being biomedia. I tend to overfilter my tanks & understock them so I only need to rinse my foam/pads every 6 weeks. I don't use charcoal in my canisters. I use it periodically...maybe for 3 to 4 days every 6 - 8 weeks. I just put that in a HOB filter. I also only use a small amount of charcoal as I am disposing in 3 or 4 days (use a nylon stocking to hold the loose charcoal in). I do weekly water changes - no exceptions (even if the water parameters are ok).


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## maximusfish (Sep 2, 2014)

Thanks!! So it sounds like the fluval 405 would be used with just bio rings in one tray and basically just circulates the water, while the HOB filter (my set up came with a Penguin 350 bio wheel) is used for the actual "filtering" of the debris in the water. So this filter would be where I put my carbon (when needed), filter sponge/floss. Do I replace the used bio rings that came with it? And the filter floss and bio wheels? 
Or just rinse them. This is so confusing. On the internet some say change them, some say boil them to clean, some say to leave them forever! Of course the manufacturers say to replace everything every two to four weeks at $20 a time.


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## jbyoung00008 (May 16, 2011)

Keep the bio rings and bio wheel. Add more rings if you can. The way the wheel works is there are two types of good bacteria. One type grows fully under water. The other type with oxygen hitting it. Never clean the wheel under tap water once its in a running tank. 

Cleaning them all depends on your comfort level and if they just came off a running tank or have been sitting. If they just came off of a running tank within 24 hrs leave them alone. Me personally if the wheel isn't off a running tank I'd bleach it. Sounds scary but isn't. I bleach my filter sponges once a year. The trick is soaking them in tap water conditioner afterwards. It nutrilizes bleach. Soak it after for a few hours than rinse it again. Boiling is okay but Ive still run into problems afterwards but its a good option. Don't try bleaching it if you are worried it's just a suggestion. Or just leave it all alone. Buy new filter Floss and away you go. 

The whole manufactures saying buy new media is a sales pitch. The older the media. The older the tank. I could bring over my 4 year old canister and hook it up to your tank. You'd literally have a 4 year old tank in seconds. The issue with bio media especially in BC is we have chlorine in our tap water and it will kill good bacteria. You can literally restart your tank in seconds if.you clean your filters wrong.


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## Snugpuppies (Jun 7, 2014)

Again, you will get a million answers. If it were me (and I buy lots of gently used stuff)...I would keep the existing media (bio rings) - give them a good rinsing in treated water (water that is fish ready - after chlorine , etc is removed). Then I would use it. The hang on back filter, I would start fresh. Then rinse pads, foam, etc lightly every 4 - 6 weeks (again, in treated water)...and don't replace them until it darn near falls apart on its own....or is obviously not doing the job. Replacing foam, etc every month - no way.

PS - there are lots of good posts on here about cycling your tank (with or without fish). Don't skip that step...or its a quick and painful start (or should I say restart) to the hobby.

Cheers


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## AccidentalAquarist (Sep 11, 2013)

It's kind of a tough question, you can ask 6 people and get 12 answers...everyone has their own way of filling their filter and the way that they would recommend

personally I use a single 20-30ppi filter sponge, then as much lava rock as I can cram into the filter. (I buy a bag of landscaping lava rock and smash it in to pieces less than 1"in size. A 20lb bag will last literally forever) Then I use filter floss (untreated polyester pillow stuffing if your cheap like me) to polish the water 

My sponges I replace when they disintegrate, rinsing them every out every few months, the filter floss I replace every 4-6 weeks or when flow becomes restricted

When I buy "used" filters or anything else, I take into account where it came from. Do I know the person, whats the health of their fish, was the item recently removed from the system or sitting dry etc. If I'm really comfortable with the place I got the equipment then straight into my system it goes with maybe a rinse. If I have the slightest doubt then a rinse is mandatory with a bleach or boil being preferred.

Carbon I only use if I've had to treat a tank with medication

Everything suggested by myself and others have their merits, it really depends on your system and filtration need


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## maximusfish (Sep 2, 2014)

Thanks everyone!! It's all much clearer now and you have saved me a ton of money as well. It is so great that there is this forum and people willing to take the time to teach a newcomer to the hobby. I really enjoyed having a fish tank when I was younger, but was disappointed at not being very successful at it. My son (9) has always wanted a tank, so we are getting this set up during the school break/strike. We are both pretty excited about it.


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