Transfering AC HOB media to XP3

[joanr]

Hi everyone,
I just ordered a Rena Filstar XP3 and want to transfer my cycled media from the two AC 70's to the trays in the canister. This would be the sponges and the white bio-ball thingies. I watched the install video last night on their website and as far as I can tell I could put their course and fine blk filter media and then maybe one or two of the sponges from the AC in the bottom and then the white bio balls in with their star shaped black bio stars in the second tray. I don't want to do something that would mess with the flow of the canister. Does this sound ok?

[fishorama]

I try to have the media in each basket spread evenly to the edges so there isn't any bypass. You may want to cut the AC sponges to fit better. Or I've read of people chopping them up into small squares to allow water to flow in & around them. I also use the micron pad or a thin layer of floss in the top basket to catch any fine stuff.

[nc0gnet0]

Unless things have changed since I bought my xp4, Rena really skimps on the bio material. You can transfer media from the HOB to the canister, but unless there is a need not to I recomend just adding the rena to the tank and leave the HOBs on the tan while the canister cycles. I also recomend buying some additional bio-material for the rena, in which I prefer the Eheim material.

[joanr]

I can't leave the HOBS and the canister running, way too much overkill, it's only a 55 gal. So cutting the foam and adding the bio bags will be the way to go. My main concern was what levels to put the extra media in. I was going to go with just two of their black filters and two of the AC HOB filters in the bottom and then the middle level have all the bio stars/bio bags from the AC and then leave the top level with their micron filter. Where do you all add carbon if needed to clear out meds?

[nc0gnet0]

Carbon would go in either the second or top level. Bio material in the second and first if needed. 30 ppi sponge (black) in the bottom layer. Myself I prefer not to use the fine filter and let my mag 350 do that as it is easier to change. The fine filter work great, but remember the gook it traps is still in your tank until you clean it. Out of sight is not out of mind in this case.

[diveshooter]

I think you are right on track. I've been using the XP3 on my 90 planted tank for the past 7 months and am very happy with it. I tossed the supplied bio stars and filled the middle basket with ceramic bio rings. I run fine filter floss in the top basket and on occasion use a media bag filled with carbon. Purigen or any other chemical media can be substituted.

[David Rose]

The AC sponges are pretty thick and cut to fit will take up most of your 1st level tray which is 3-4 inches tall, so you maybe have room for one of Rena's black coarse foam pads on the bottom. The second tray will easily hold all your AC Biomax and some if not all of the Filstars media. On the top tray, I think I have their finer sponge then the micro pad on top (or room for your Purigen 100 ml pack).

The Rena will come with divider grates to separate and hold sponges in place, which is kind of cool.

In short, you might want to consider their finer sponge to go in the top tray unless you want to add multiple levels of floss to go with the mirco pad to fill the tray up.

I haven't bought the Rena Carbon. I would just use your HOT Magnum with activated carbon to remove meds for the short term and leave the Rena in tack. One less product to buy, when you can use loose activated carbon in your Magnum media cartridge.

Hope that helps,
David

[joanr]

Right David, I forgot about the media holder for the HOT Mag since I use the Micron cart all the time...lol. Just trying to get things under control in this tank. Two HOB's + Mark V sponge filter, 2 more air diffusers and two heaters....what a clutter of stuff! The canister will probably be all I need plus another air line, especially if I add the inline heater later....have to save up some more bucks for that.

[joanr]

The XP3 is here and I'm setting it up on Saturday. Nothing too complicated about it but I still have a few questions.
Do you power down the canister during water changes? Or can you just flip the quick disconnect lever to the up position, does that stop the flow or do you have to completely lift off the assembly from the canister top?

[diveshooter]

Unplug the unit, flip the disconnect lever and remove the hoses from the motor. Then take the canister with motor attached to the sink to clean. A word of caution, these beasts are pretty heavy when full of water!

[joanr]

Ok, that is for canister cleanings. I was wondering what to do with the canister during a daily water change? I always turn off the HOB's during a water change, but have no experience with what to do with a canister during a water change. I wouldn't want the water spraying out from the spray bar would I? If I unplug the unit during the water change do I also have to flip the lever up or can I just unplug, do the w/c and then plug it back in? Duh, I feel so stupid about this.....lol.

[diveshooter]

Oops, read right past the water change part. Just unplug it, no need to flip up the disconnect. I've got mine plugged into a power strip along with the inline heater, so when I do water changes I just have to flip a switch.

[nc0gnet0]

I prefer to leave it running provided your intake tube stays below the water level which is best in my opinion. You can unplug it and flip the lever, but when you power it back on you always get debris blowing back out upon being re-powered. Very frusterating after just cleaning the tank. If you don't flip up the lever and do drop the water level below the intake you could loose your prime, which can be a PITA with the RENA's.

[David Rose]

Ok, that is for canister cleanings. I was wondering what to do with the canister during a daily water change? I always turn off the HOB's during a water change, but have no experience with what to do with a canister during a water change. I wouldn't want the water spraying out from the spray bar would I? If I unplug the unit during the water change do I also have to flip the lever up or can I just unplug, do the w/c and then plug it back in? Duh, I feel so stupid about this.....lol.


Hi Joan!

The question is, how much water are you removing at any given water change and will you be using the extension tube on the intake? If you will be dropping the level below the intake tube, you will want to shut off the XP3. The process to do this is to lift the built-in shut-off lever on the in/out take connector assembly by lifting it up vertically. It's a black handle like level that shuts off the water flow. Once you've done that you can unplug the XP3. Siphon out your tank water, debris etc and if it's also time to clean your XP3, the intake/return hose assembly lifts out easily from the top of your XP3 without dripping water and can hang there while you take the canister to the sink to easily disassemble, rinse out your sponges etc. Fill it back up with dechlorinated water, put back in place under your aquarium and plop the assembly back into place, plug in the filter, and lower the hand lever back to the horizontal position to allow the water to flow. The reason Rena gave us the level assembly is to trap the water in the tubing going back up and into your tank tubing. The water trapped in here temporarily is what easily starts the filter siphoning process again without the need to prime the filter each time.

If you're not going to lower your water level past the bottom intake tube, just temporarily turn the spray bar pointed toward the glass side and downward a bit .

I personally shut mine off each time to stop water flow and let debris settle before I vacuum while draining. Besides, it just seems to create more work if I allow my filters to run and then need to clean the pre-filters as one of the last steps rather than early on.

PS: Don't forget to use a bristle tube cleaner on the spay bar periodically because it gets nasty in there and will eventually shoot out some gunk into your aquarium at start up just after you spent all the time to cleaning your tank. ;)

[jimg]

I would always use pre filter on the pick up tubes and make sure the fine filter is always in the canister. Bio material must remain clean and undisturbed.

[David Rose]

BTW Joan... I think you already use the filter max pre-filters that come with multiple adapters. The FMIII works with the XP3.

[diveshooter]

I prefer to leave it running provided your intake tube stays below the water level which is best in my opinion. You can unplug it and flip the lever, but when you power it back on you always get debris blowing back out upon being re-powered. Very frusterating after just cleaning the tank. If you don't flip up the lever and do drop the water level below the intake you could loose your prime, which can be a PITA with the RENA's.

Thats strange. I never get debris blowing back into my tank after restart. Maybe its because I clean out the tubing on a regular basis.

[David Rose]

Thats strange. I never get debris blowing back into my tank after restart. Maybe its because I clean out the tubing on a regular basis.


Good move :) I only snake my hoses a couple of times a year, but now having a spray bar, it never occurred to me that it would need more frequent cleaning.

[joanr]

Oops, read right past the water change part. Just unplug it, no need to flip up the disconnect. I've got mine plugged into a power strip along with the inline heater, so when I do water changes I just have to flip a switch.

Thanks for that answer, that was what I was looking for as a have the power strip and it's so easy to flip the switch. I didn't know if doing that would cause me to have to fill the hoses again.

Also thanks everyone for your tips and tricks on maintaining the canister, can't wait for Saturday, going to do this tonight.

Yep David, I have all size pre-filters, sure gonna use 'em. Thanks for your help.

[fishorama]

Uh oh, am I doing it wrong :confused: ? I never shut the shut-off lever BEFORE unplugging, always after. Sometimes there's a little bit of water pressure that causes the XP3 to spit a small amt of water. Does that not happen the other way around? I don't have an XP on my discus tank so don't worry about draining past the low intakes, does that matter?

And :o I think I need to clean the spray bars more often LOL.

[David Rose]

Uh oh, am I doing it wrong :confused: ? I never shut the shut-off lever BEFORE unplugging, always after. Sometimes there's a little bit of water pressure that causes the XP3 to spit a small amt of water. Does that not happen the other way around? I don't have an XP on my discus tank so don't worry about draining past the low intakes, does that matter?

And :o I think I need to clean the spray bars more often LOL.


If you're not lowering your water level below the intake, you wouldn't be breaking the siphon allowing air in your tubing.

hth
David

[joanr]

Ok, it's up and running and for a surprise my hubby ordered a Hydor inline heater for me and had it shipped to his office. He brought it home today and set the whole thing up. Wow, this is so quiet now, no more rattling lids on the AC Hobs, no more heaters in the tank, think I'm loving this alot. The spray bar diffuses the flow so they are not being pushed around, but I think by adding the media from the HOB's along with what came with the canister I may be slowing things down a tad. But just need long enough to get everything in there cycled. I'm more than pleased so far. Just have to place the canister in a safety tub and hook up the water alarm unit.

For those using the spray bar, how far down into the tank are you placing it? I've got it about 2.5" below the water line right now but not sure of the optimal placement

[fishorama]

I have my spraybars about like that. Just aim them down a little so you don't get sprayed in the face, I've done it more than once. You can play with the flow to push the debris toward the intake or wherever you want it to go. I have 1 on the side for end to end flow.

An inline heater sounds very nice, I'm suction cup challenged LOL



If you're not lowering your water level below the intake, you wouldn't be breaking the siphon allowing air in your tubing.

hth
David

Thanks

[joanr]

The inline heater is fantastic. Dead on 86, hasn't skipped a beat. Of course it's all been up just overnight and this morning I was up at the crack of dawn to be sure the fish were not fried. No leaks, no heater malfuntion. The Hydor Theo's have a bad rep, but not the external ETH model. Now the challenge remains to find the world's quietest air pump, my whispers are semi-quiet but no cigar. There must be one out there that produces no whirring noise or vibrations. Any suggestions?