My canister filter is making a mess! What's the right order of the media?

[caprilove]

Okay, here's the deal: I'm about to give my catalina ultra 1000 canister filter one last chance at actually doing me (and the tank) any good!!! But first, I decided to surf through and get some quick advice, to hopefully get this handled, once and for all...

What is suppose to go inside each basket, when there's four of them, the motor is on the top, and the filtering begins from the bottom, up?!?!

Any quick replies would be much appreciated!!

[Honeygs]

I'm new at this too... but pretty much from what I read very few uses them. Maybe that's why. I have a 55 gallon saltwater and use a Peguin Emperor filter and a skimmer, that's it for filteration. It's been up and running for a month with fish, live sand and live rock with no problems so far. You might want to get rid of it! Good luck!

[caprilove]

Yeah, I was wondering wether it's even worth it... it's real bad, though, and the left side of my tank (where it's at) is all green and murky, and the right side looks way clearer... anyone else out there w/ maybe a 'lil more experience be willin' to give a suggestion or two?? By the way, thanx for the quick reply, and good luck w/ the new tank! :D

[phil519]

from what i recall with my ehiem (top-down flow) - I would suggest the following for your bottom up flow...

some kind of floss for filtration
2nd basket: some kind of rubble/material for growth of bacteria
3rd basket: maybe some activated carbon
4th basket: perhaps some material to neutralize phosphates

I'm not familiar with your brand of cannister filter - but they do have their place in the hobby. Just be sure to change out the filter material semi-frequently.

Good luck!

[Tang-itis]

Was the media rinsed before you put it into the filter? If not take it out and rinse it.
The list phil gave sounds pretty good. In my fluvals one has LR then carbon and in the other there is the sponge, biomax, biomax, carbon then carbon. HTH