Collection: Filter & Reactor Media

Media Is How You Control Water Quality

Your filter is only as good as what you put in it. Filtration happens in three stages, and the media you choose determines which problems your system actually solves — from cloudy water to nuisance algae to an unstable nitrogen cycle.

The Three Stages

• Biological media — high-surface-area material that hosts the bacteria running your nitrogen cycle.
• Activated carbon — adsorbs dissolved organics, odors, and yellowing to keep water crystal clear.
• Phosphate removers — granular ferric oxide that pulls phosphate and helps deny algae its fuel.
• Chemical resins — polishing media that trap organics and lift water clarity beyond what carbon alone can.
• Media bags — reusable mesh bags that keep loose media contained in a filter or reactor.

Choose media by the problem in front of you rather than running everything at once — untargeted media just adds cost. Test before and after, and swap chemical media on schedule, because once it's saturated it stops pulling anything. Questions on a media plan? Email info@jlaquatics.com.