RSM C-250 Media Rack Help Needed

[neildradford]

Hi guys,not sure if this is the right place to ask, but, I have changed out the carbon in my C-250 media rack for two bags of 11oz chemi pure elite and one 100ml bag of purigen.
The trouble is, I'm not sure if I've put them in correctly. I have a bag of cpe on the bottom shelf, with another bag on the shelf above that one, but with the purigen on the same shelf as it, to it's left looking at tank front on. The purigen bag was a lot smaller than I was expecting so placing it on its own shelf seemed wrong to me.

Does anybody else use cpe and purigen in their Red Sea max? Have I done it all wrong?

Any and all guidance appreciated.

Neil.

 

[Mark9]

Does anybody else use cpe and purigen in their Red Sea max? Have I done it all wrong?
.

I think most people run CPE & Purigen in their media racks and i don't think you can do it wrong.
I connected a plastic zip tie on one of the racks and slipped the purigen in the loop to hold the bag in place as it tends to float.

 

[neildradford]

Ahhh great, thanks Mark9, appreciate it.

Neil.

 

[Pat24601]

Like a lot of people I use CPE and Purigen now. I'm a noob, but as Mark said I don't think there is a wrong way to do it. Actually, I have a CP blue on bottom, CPE second from bottom, Purigen next, filter floss on top. Not sure I see a lot of folks running filter floss? Trying to clean up my detrimus a bit.

Also, I'm really not sure I understand the difference between CP Blue and CPE except blue is supposedly the new CPE? But, I'm running one of each anyway.

 

[neildradford]

Oh I didn't even realise there was a blue cpe. I was wondering about filter floss. I do still use the big black sponges and clean them out each week. What is the general feeling on those sponges?

Thanks guys,

Neil.

 

[Pat24601]

Oh I didn't even realise there was a blue cpe. I was wondering about filter floss. I do still use the big black sponges and clean them out each week. What is the general feeling on those sponges?

Thanks guys,

Neil.

Just from reading these boards, I think a lot of people take the sponges out because they don't want to have to deal with cleaning them once a week. I keep them in because I not currently annoyed by cleaning them once a week.

Sound right more experienced folks?

 

[Mark9]

I left my large black sponge in, its not much work to clean it.
For me, it helps with the bubbles.
I am switching over to the blue and currently have a CPE/blue mix right now as well.

 

[goma]

If you clean them weekly, leave them in. If you are not going to clean them weekly, take them out.

 

[neildradford]

Ok cool, as it stands I don't mind cleaning them weekly, see how that pans out when the chores list grows

 

[Salty150]

Like a lot of people I use CPE and Purigen now. I'm a noob, but as Mark said I don't think there is a wrong way to do it. Actually, I have a CP blue on bottom, CPE second from bottom, Purigen next, filter floss on top. Not sure I see a lot of folks running filter floss? Trying to clean up my detrimus a bit.

Also, I'm really not sure I understand the difference between CP Blue and CPE except blue is supposedly the new CPE? But, I'm running one of each anyway.

Wouldn't you want to put your filter floss first...?

 

[Pat24601]

Wouldn't you want to put your filter floss first...?

This is a very observant question.

Yes, you should put the filter floss on the bottom since flow goes bottom to top and you want the water to hit your filter floss before it hits your CPE so that it doesn't "clog up" your CPE as much.

That said, my media rack is a pain to get in and out. It's kind of warped or something and it takes a lot of jiggling to get it back in its slot. It's actually been the source of an f-bomb or two as I try to get it back in. I'm not sure if others have this problem. I thought intank was coming out with a media rack for the C-250, but no such luck to date.

So, I put my filter floss on top since I change it so often and I don't have to take my media rack out to change it. Not ideal, but better than nothing.

Also, I now run two CPE and a purigen rather than whatever I said in the original post. For whatever that is worth.

 

[Adrienne]

It's not you Pat. I let more than the occasional f word fly when I am fighting to get my media rack both out and then back in. I've never used filter floss but I do use carbon and have resorted to sitting it right on the very top shelf. I guess, after reading this thread I really should put it down lower. I run 1 purigen and 1 siliphos as well. CPE isn't over here but I am wondering about getting it shipped as it seems popular.

 

[Pat24601]

It's not you Pat. I let more than the occasional f word fly when I am fighting to get my media rack both out and then back in. I've never used filter floss but I do use carbon and have resorted to sitting it right on the very top shelf. I guess, after reading this thread I really should put it down lower. I run 1 purigen and 1 siliphos as well. CPE isn't over here but I am wondering about getting it shipped as it seems popular.

I'm actually glad to hear it's not just me! I never hear people complain about this and I wondered if it was just my media rack.

I can't think of any reason your carbon isn't fine where it is.

The philosophy I was trying to espouse is that IF you are running filter floss (and I'm not sure many do...I just started doing it on my own) you'd theoretically want the water to hit it first, get cleaned up a bit, and then hit your carbon. This helps keep your carbon from getting "gunked up" and gives it a longer life span. Theoretically. I think.

All this means since flow goes from bottom to top in the media rack you'd theoretically want your filter floss below your carbon, which isn't what I actually do.

In short, I think you are fine as is. Since you don't run filter floss, I can't think of a reason why it would matter where you put your carbon.

I'm kind if curious how many people even run filter floss. I don't hear many people talk about it.

 

[Scottwolver]

I don't run filter floss but I agree the media rack is a pain to get out. I can certainly relate to Adrienne's "colorful" language!

 

[ziggy]

I agree trapping particulate contaminate stuff should be done within the very first stage on the rack (first in the water flow column), this then needs to be cleaned or replaced to stop it from accumulating more "stuff" that will affect bioload. That floss or sponege or whatever, get cleaned or thrown out far more often then carbon or any other pack's that should not sit there accumulating all that particulate.

 

[Pat24601]

I agree trapping particulate contaminate stuff should be done within the very first stage on the rack (first in the water flow column), this then needs to be cleaned or replaced to stop it from accumulating more "stuff" that will affect bioload. That floss or sponege or whatever, get cleaned or thrown out far more often then carbon or any other pack's that should not sit there accumulating all that particulate.

Yes, this is very important. If one is going to run filter floss, be prepared to change it/clean it regularly or it can become a nitrate factory. It's cheap. I throw it out and replace it.