Rena filter pads

[Steve]

Anyone else run Rena canister filters? I am running four Rena filters (pair of xp3's and pair of xp4's) and I'm just wondering if anyone else that runs them has used the blue&white bonded filter material you can get from Petco rather than the Rena 20ppm and 30ppm pads? Because running four pads in each filter costs about $25 per filter each time I do filter maintenance. Not that $25 is a huge amount, but over the course of a year on four filters it does add up. So I'm just wondering if the bonded material works just as well because it would only cost about 1/4 the cost of the Rena pads if so.

[four_by_ken]

I just use bulk filter floss and bulk sheet pads that I cut to fit.  Cheap.

[Steve]

Yeah I run the bulk floss in the top basket too Ken, then Matrix media in the next and four pads in the bottom, but I think I'm gonna start doing like you do and just run the bulk cut to fit pads instead of the Rena ones.

[gannmann101]

Same here. But the black pads that come with them tend to last a very long time. I just rinse them in tank water.  Anduse the bulk buffing pads from the LFS.  Not to get off track but did you figure out the air problem you were having ken?  I noticed I was getting air in one of mine again. After looking for a couple hours online tring to figure out why. With no luck I remembered I. Put new hoses on and re primed the filter. Well I didn't tighten the fill cap on the intake side after filling it with water.  The water level in the canister hasn't droped since I tightened it real good. 

[four_by_ken]

Same here. But the black pads that come with them tend to last a very long time. I just rinse them in tank water.  Anduse the bulk buffing pads from the LFS. Not to get off track but did you figure out the air problem you were having ken?  I noticed I was getting air in one of mine again. After looking for a couple hours online tring to figure out why. With no luck I remembered I. Put new hoses on and re primed the filter. Well I didn't tighten the fill cap on the intake side after filling it with water.  The water level in the canister hasn't droped since I tightened it real good.

Air problem?  The only problem I really ever had was with a Fluval 406 that leaked all over the place.

[gannmann101]

I must have been thinking of someone else. Was a topic a while ago. If you ever have a problem with the canister having a low water level.  Lol

[theoryguru]

I used synthetic polyester HVAC filters cut to size in my xp3 and my other filters
VERY cheap and effective.
I also use quilt batting for filter floss