# Emperor 400 filter media ideas



## Markoi (May 8, 2010)

Hi cichlid forum!! My question is that i recently bought an emperor 400 for my 55 gallon. I have a whisper ex70 also. It came with some filter pads with carbon in it. Now this is the same with my whisper so i was thinking if i could buy filter floss or sponges and use them instead of constantly buying filter pads. Also the emperor comes with media baskets. So i could fill them with carbon or any filter media i want.... right? Im just wondering if this is a good idea or do i have to continue to buy those filter pads?


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## rgr4475 (Mar 19, 2008)

Carbon is really only useful to remove medications that you dosed your tank with. That and it's effectiveness is only good for about 10 days or so. I run filter floss (pillow stuffing) that I get at walmart for about $5 in the grey media baskets. Thats all you really need in there.


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## kmuda (Nov 27, 2009)

Buy these clamshells for your Emperor:

http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/p ... atid=13371

Toss the carbon pads that come with them (or hold onto them for future use), holding onto the blue sponges (you'll use these) and get some blue bonded padding.

http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/p ... catid=5277

Cut the blue bonded padding to be the same size as the carbon pads and wham.... this, along with the blue sponges, and you have a filter cartridge that (with regular cleaning) will last for several years. I have several blue bond pads cut for my filters. Each week, I pull one, replacing it with another, with the one that was pulled rinsed well in the sink and then boiled (boiling it fluffs it back up and completes the cleaning). I've been using the same pads for over 4 years.

The blue sponge you treat like a sponge.... squeezing it out in a bucket of tank water to keep it clean (something I also do weekly, during water changes).


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## rgr4475 (Mar 19, 2008)

kmuda said:


> Buy these clamshells for your Emperor:
> 
> http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/p ... atid=13371
> 
> ...


Great idea. Do you use the grey media baskets at all then?


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## kmuda (Nov 27, 2009)

In one tank I do, running carbon in them (replaced every two weeks) but I don't recommend it. It's also difficult to find carbon that fits those things correctly. You would do better doubling up on the Bio3 Clamshells in the configuration I suggested. So your Emp 400 would need 4 of them (I believe they come as a pair, so you would need to order 2 of them). But they are inexpensive.

If you want to boost your bacterial filtration, get the optional media cartridges (those grey baskets) and fill them with Eheim Ehfilav.


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## rgr4475 (Mar 19, 2008)

^ Thanks for the info!


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## Shade of Grey (May 1, 2010)

Hey guys, I have a question to add to the OPs. I've just set up a 55g tank with an Emp 400 and I was wondering, wouldn't taking out the pads weekly take out a whole lot of good bacteria with it? Also, should I even bother messing with the pads while the tank is being cycled (fishless)? How about using crushed coral in the baskets to help with pH (i also have some Texas holey in the tank)?

Sorry for so many questions, this is all new to me,

cheers.


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## kmuda (Nov 27, 2009)

On a Penguin or Emperor filter, you don't want the bacteria on the pads. You want it on the wheel and (if using these cartridges) on the blue sponges. It's only if you DO NOT take the pads out frequently that you would be removing a signficant colony of bacteria.

By replacing the pads weekly, you are keeping the bacteria where it belongs (on the sponge and biowheel) while removing whatever gunk the pad has collected. By frequent removal of the gunk, that gunk is not being converted into ammonia (and eventually nitrate) while also reducing the populations of heterotrophic bacterias, some of which can become pathogenic.

The concept of "keep the pad until it falls apart" only applies to filters and tanks short on filtration or (more specifically) biofiltration.


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