Changing my filter...

[Monte20]

I have a 20 gallon tank. i use a top fin filter that utilizes the biobag cartridge. as i understand it, the bacteria on the filter is a must. so when do i change the cartridge? there is only one to the filter. when the time comes, should i sink the new bag behind the old one to get some bacteria before taking the old one out?

 

[SkiFletch]

Yeah, when the time comes to change the filter make sure you leave the old cartriges in somehow. I have a similar situation with a single sided Eheim overhang filter. One slide is the carbon particle filter, and teh other is the mesh for bacteria growth. In truth, both will grow bacteria over time, so here's what I'm going to do. When the carbon particle filter goes I'll put the used one on the bottom of the tank and the new one in place of the filter, thus keeping the bacteria concentration high. A week or two later I'll remove the old filter from the tank and hope I dont spike my chemicals too much. Changing one filter part at a time will help a lot.

 

[Monte20]

cool. thanks for the info.

 

[ncjharris]

Another option is to cut the filter medium in half (if you can), and only change half at a time. This will keep enough bacteria on the filter while the new one gets seeded.

You only really need to change your filter medium once every 6-8 months. Some last longer than that. Rinsing them in tank water when changing your water will clean them out.

 

[Funny Pie]

Hmm, my whipser filter says to change the bio bag every month, so i shuld just rinse in tank water instead?

 

[qwikimpss]

For my HOB filters I dont even buy new cartridges. I rinse them out in a bucket of tank water when I do my changes. That way I dont lose any bacteria and water flows freely thru the media.

 

[qwikimpss]

Ya, unless the bio-bag becomes clogged there's not really a point to even rinse it.