Confused About Filter And Media

[southcity]

I have purchased Marineland Penguin 100 bio-wheel power filter. I have just started the set up for my 10 gallon tank.
Added ammonia the other day and will give it another day or so before I test again and see if I need to re-dose the ammonia to bring it back up to 5ppm. They cycling process I pretty much understand with the exception of the filter media. I am not quite sure what is meant by that and I have some questions about this filter.
I see several people say that charcoal is not needed and a bad choice to use when cycling the tank. I have a charcoal insert in this power filter. So should I just pull it out and leave that slot empty? If I replace that charcoal insert with something else, what would I put in there and how often would I then need to change that item? The more I read about filters the more confused I get.

 

[FishAreFriendsNotFood10]

filter media is usually meant as a foam sponge (or anuther surface where friendly bacteria lives on) you can put 1/3 of old "media" into a new filter which will make it cycle faster

i would try replace the charcoal for ceramic rings

(if you are not sure what ceramic rings are i googled "ceramic rings filter media" )

 

[Gvilleguy]

filter media is usually meant as a foam sponge (or anuther surface where friendly bacteria lives on) you can put 1/3 of old "media" into a new filter which will make it cycle faster

i would try replace the charcoal for ceramic rings

(if you are not sure what ceramic rings are i googled "ceramic rings filter media" )

+1!!

(pasted from the cycle thread in my signature)
2. Important FILTER MEDIA information: chemical filter media - CARBON - is not recommended to use during your fishless cycle. You normally only need to use carbon media to remove medicine or other chemicals, and it can be placed in the filter as needed later on, after the cycle. Unless it is in the form of a sponge, this type of media saturates and needs replacing after 4-6 weeks (in most cases), and, upon replacing it, you could be discarding a lot of helpful bacteria that have colonized the cartridge! It is better to use mechanical and bio-media such as ceramic pellets and sponges rather than carbon.

 

[Skins]

filter media is usually meant as a foam sponge (or anuther surface where friendly bacteria lives on) you can put 1/3 of old "media" into a new filter which will make it cycle faster

i would try replace the charcoal for ceramic rings

(if you are not sure what ceramic rings are i googled "ceramic rings filter media" )

+1!!

(pasted from the cycle thread in my signature)
2. Important FILTER MEDIA information: chemical filter media - CARBON - is not recommended to use during your fishless cycle. You normally only need to use carbon media to remove medicine or other chemicals, and it can be placed in the filter as needed later on, after the cycle. Unless it is in the form of a sponge, this type of media saturates and needs replacing after 4-6 weeks (in most cases), and, upon replacing it, you could be discarding a lot of helpful bacteria that have colonized the cartridge! It is better to use mechanical and bio-media such as ceramic pellets and sponges rather than carbon.

Agree

 

[southcity]

I will be heading to the store tomorrow on my day off to get the needed ceramic rings, thanks