Where to get filter media for a good price

[ClockworkParrot]

Hello,
I was wondering if any of you aquarium gurus know of a good online place they go to get the media for canister filters or know of a less expensive way to keep canister filter going and tank clean. I have a Marineland c-220 and I feel like the price of filter media is really expensive at all the stores near were I live when I go to get the activated carbon, sponges, and polishing filter pads.

 

[Boomsloth]

You should look into ceramic media instead of carbon. Carbon needs replacing every month. As for the sponges and pads those should last a while. The ceramic media will hold most of the beneficial bacteria you need for a healthy tank and it lasts forever


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[ClockworkParrot]

The filter has five stages, the carbon, bioballs, ceramic, sponge and the polishing pad. The sponges I can rinse and I have a spare of those. Its the carbon and the polishing pads mostly since they have to be changed frequently and its around $20 to get both each time at the pet shop near me. Which feels like a lot for a bit of carbon and thin pad that needs to be replaced every 3ish weeks.

 

[Boomsloth]

Just because it says it has a tray for carbon and a place for the polishing pads doesn't mean you have to use them. They aren't necessary for the tank and you can just add more sponge if you want. Carbon is good to keep if you ever need to remove something from the water like medicine or chemicals but not needed all the time. The polishing pad sounds like nothing more than a fine filter and I think I might have the version that came with my marine land somewhere in storage


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[Bette]

The filter has five stages, the carbon, bioballs, ceramic, sponge and the polishing pad. The sponges I can rinse and I have a spare of those. Its the carbon and the polishing pads mostly since they have to be changed frequently and its around $20 to get both each time at the pet shop near me. Which feels like a lot for a bit of carbon and thin pad that needs to be replaced every 3ish weeks.

I'm not familiar with that filter, but I would guess that you could probably skip the carbon and replace it with perhaps another sponge (that's what I did with a few filters I have).
Otherwise, you could look into carbon infused pads made by Deep Blue... they might be less expensive.

 

[Xtophr]

You can also get a media bag and throw some loose carbon (relatively inexpensive) in it when needed.

 

[auntiejude]

Why are you replacing the felt/polishing pad every 3 weeks? I've had my big filter going for nearly 2 years, and never replaced the fine filter, I just give it a good rinse as I do with the sponges. Filter manufacturers want you to keep buying the replacements, but TBH they don't need replacing that often.

You can buy large sponge pads on Amazon and cut to size. But I agree you don't need the carbon layer.

 

[bugdozer]

You should look into ceramic media instead of carbon. Carbon needs replacing every month. As for the sponges and pads those should last a while. The ceramic media will hold most of the beneficial bacteria you need for a healthy tank and it lasts forever


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Carbon does NOT need replacing every month. It will only continue to extract chemicals from the water if you replace it every month, but if you leave it in there it works exactly like ceramic filter media by providing a great surface for bacteria to live on.

 

[Boomsloth]

Carbon does NOT need replacing every month. It will only continue to extract chemicals from the water if you replace it every month, but if you leave it in there it works exactly like ceramic filter media by providing a great surface for bacteria to live on.

I've gotten lazy in the past with my canisters and didn't change the carbon (back when I used it) after a few months I was left with some carbon pellets, sludge from my fish and broken down pieces of carbon that were such a pain to remove. If I choose to do a canister again I will avoid that headache and stick to ceramic


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[ClockworkParrot]

Thanks for all the information!
I admit on the fine pad I have been rinsing it the best I could when cleaning so I change it every other month instead of 3 weeks.
I didnt know I could get filter media bags for carbon. I will have to look into that.