Clarification on Replacement of Filter Media

[B. Atrice]

I've been hearing a lot of people say on here, "Don't replace your filter media." I use sponges in conjunction with a charcoal filter, the charcoal filter does not contain straight-up carbon but rather a special blend that's supposed to help control ammonia levels (I think it's a crushed ceramics with a little charcoal mixed in). I usually just gently rinse the sponges, and replace the charcoal filters when they're dirty. Should I stop changing the charcoal filter, only rinsing it, or does the "no replace" only apply to sponges and ceramics?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Slaphppy7]

I've been hearing a lot of people say on here, "Don't replace your filter media." I use sponges in conjunction with a charcoal filter, the charcoal filter does not contain straight-up carbon but rather a special blend that's supposed to help control ammonia levels (I think it's a crushed ceramics with a little charcoal mixed in). I usually just gently rinse the sponges, and replace the charcoal filters when they're dirty. Should I stop changing the charcoal filter, only rinsing it, or does the "no replace" only apply to sponges and ceramics?

Thanks in advance.

Ditch the carbon, and replace it with more sponges, or ceramic media....if your tank is well established (6+ months)

If not, wait at least six months, then switch out

 

[B. Atrice]

Thanks. This tank is only a week old and a half old and just cycled, so I'm going to leave it be for now. But I'll just rinse the cartridges rather than replacing them.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Thanks. This tank is only a week old and a half old and just cycled, so I'm going to leave it be for now. But I'll just rinse the cartridges rather than replacing them.

Very good, rinse in old tank water or treated tap, but DO NOT replace...week and a half is very quick for a cycle, did you use some seeded media?

 

[B. Atrice]

Very good, rinse in old tank water or treated tap, but DO NOT replace...week and a half is very quick for a cycle, did you use some seeded media?

Yes, I had some media from my old tank and some Quick Start, had a huge bacterial bloom which scared the living daylights out of me (I don't know much over here, I feel like I'm finding out the right way to do things AFTER I mess it up), but that cleared up and everything is testing normal. I never had an ammonia spike over .25, is that normal? It was a fish-in cycle, with a water change every other day.

 

[B. Atrice]

Note: if I could go back and do it over I would have not used the Quick Start and just used the old media. I'm agreeing more and more with the "less chemicals the better" group. I don't think the Quick Start was necessary.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Should I stop changing the charcoal filter, only rinsing it, or does the "no replace" only apply to sponges and ceramics?

I would stop changing it. Every time you replace it, it gets rid of that giant colony of beneficial bacteria. Same thing goes with the sponges/ceramics.

You should have a good mix of everything in your filter: floss, active carbon, sponge (both fine and course), course media, and ceramics.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Yes, I had some media from my old tank and some Quick Start, had a huge bacterial bloom which scared the living daylights out of me (I don't know much over here, I feel like I'm finding out the right way to do things AFTER I mess it up), but that cleared up and everything is testing normal. I never had an ammonia spike over .25, is that normal? It was a fish-in cycle, with a water change every other day.

Yep, normal with seeded media, and not overstocked with fish

 

[B. Atrice]

Sounds like my tank is doing okay, then, I'll keep my hands off the filter, just monitoring the water and performing the ritual water changes.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Sounds like my tank is doing okay, then, I'll keep my hands off the filter, just monitoring the water and performing the ritual water changes.

Perfect

 

[Colin_T]

You don't need carbon in most aquariums unless you have heavy metals or lots of chemicals in the water. Then the carbon should be replaced every week, or filter the water before using it in the tank.

If the filter pad has black & white granules in, it has carbon and zeolite (zeolite being the white granules). Carbon removes chemicals and some heavy metals. Zeolite removes ammonia until it is full and then it stops doing anything. Zeolite can interfere with the filter cycle.