Change Filter?

[cegha]

ok my filter looks like so and has been running for probably 3 months.

http/img216.imageshack.us/img216/6013/dsc00017ub1.jpg

There isn't really any like stopage or blockage. My water flows back into the tank just fine. I was just wondering if it needs a changing or if it's fine.

There is also this in my filter that is made of a hard(er) material and doesn't get thrown away.

http/img149.imageshack.us/img149/4314/dsc00014th1.jpg

I was wondering if enough bacteria would be stored in this white semi-filter thing that i could throw out my old filter, and put in a new filter without my tank cycling. Is this possible?

 

[xoedusk]

As for if it needs replacing, check your water stats (ammonia, nitrite) and see if they are okay. This will let you know if it's up to snuff.


If you want to replace...

I would imagine that if you kept everything in your tank the same, and only change the filter, but keeping the filter media in the new filter, you would not need to do any cycling. At least I don't see any reason this would happen.

But there is a better solution, in my opinion. If you are set on getting a new filter, buy it now, add it to the tank, and let it run for 3 or 4 weeks. You can ditch your current filter; but I would still add the old filter material to the new filter when you do this. Keep it in there for a few weeks too.

Hopefully others will give opinions.

 

[cegha]

As for if it needs replacing, check your water stats (ammonia, nitrite) and see if they are okay. This will let you know if it's up to snuff.


If you want to replace...

I would imagine that if you kept everything in your tank the same, and only change the filter, but keeping the filter media in the new filter, you would not need to do any cycling. At least I don't see any reason this would happen.

But there is a better solution, in my opinion. If you are set on getting a new filter, buy it now, add it to the tank, and let it run for 3 or 4 weeks. You can ditch your current filter; but I would still add the old filter material to the new filter when you do this. Keep it in there for a few weeks too.

Hopefully others will give opinions.

All the dirty blue thing is, is a charcoal filter thing, and a while back i cut it open and emptied out all the charcoal. So it's like a spongish type filter now. My ammonia test shows 0ppm so i guess it's fine.

 

[Liam]

Yeah its fine to just keep it, I have done that rubbed all the carbon off and kept the sponge, it works fine and is safer for the bacteria colony than replacing it.