Cycle and filter question

[Mike&Diana]

Hello! I have a 10G(US) tank setup. I currently have 4 tetras and a plec.. but that is beside the point. I bought a kit that included a Whisper power filter - it seems to be working great but as I have been reading throughout the forums it seems people prefer filters with biowheels? Is it also true that when I replace my filter cartridge I will probably start a new cycle? Is it possible to avoid this problem or should I just invest in a biowheel? From what I read, the bacteria houses on the wheel instead of the cartridge so when I replace it, the bacteria remains intact on the wheel. Any advice on this matter would be greatly appreciated! Thanks a bunch!

Mike

 

[gadazobe]

Congrats on the new tank. Firstly, I don't think that you have to change the filter media now, your tank is quite new and needs to complete it's preliminary cycle before any changes to the filter are made. Why can't you just clean the filter cartridge when needed instead of replacing it. If you clean it in tank water, the bacteria will be fine. Personally I've never used a bio wheel but hear that they are very good.
Secondly, I hope that you're going to get a much bigger tank soon coz your plec will quickly outgrow the present tank. They can grow to 18" long if not more.

 

[handsomeboy]

yes it is
friends mom bought one, says it works magic
so now i want one, but too poor

HTH
hb

 

[Mike&Diana]

No, I do not need to replace it yet.. and the guy at the lfs said I could just rinse it under tap water.. but there will eventually come a time when it will need to be replaced(when it starts to fall apart and stuff) as far as the plec goes, my store said they would gladly exchange it once it gets too big for my tank for a little guy - or exchange it for a type that only grows to 4-5" In about a year I plan to get a 50G or so tank. We will see what happens. I just wanted people's opinions about the biowheel idea. Any other opinions or advice would be awesome! Thanks guys!

Mike

 

[KellieFishEggs]

You should be fine without a Biowheel... Just make sure you NEVER rinse your filter media with tap water, the tap water has chlorine that will kill the beneficial bacteria. Rinse it in some old tank water after you do a water change.

 

[NeilP]

The reason that alot of people prefer Biowheel filters (or similar) is because part of the filtration process passes over the Biowheels which have a larger combined surface area than the filterpads found on other filters. This means that there should be more beneficial bacteria living in the filter, and thus makes it more efficient.

I propbably depends on the size of your tank etc, in my smaller tanks i have the Fluval 2+ which are just filter sponges, but on my larger tanks i have Eihm Externals which have similar bits to the Biowheel.

 

[Mike&Diana]

Thanks for the responses. If I do decide to change filters, how can I go about it w/out starting a new cycle? is there any way to "transfer" bacteria from one filter to another? I dont want to kill my fish. Sorry about these basic questions - I am very new to this stuff.. and i never thought there was SO much to it! Thanks again

Mike

 

[thecichlidaddict]

Biowheels which have a larger combined surface area than the filterpads found on other filters

This is absolutely true, but on the other hand, cartridges hold enough to support a tank. Most of the extra surface area is actually unused, it's more of a selling feature then anything else. IMO, the only real benefit to the bio-wheel is oxygenation.


Mike, if they will both fit I'd run both filters on the tank for a week or two and then remove the old filter, this will seed the new filter and allow you to make the switch without impact on the tank.

 

[Bol]

When you mean "change my filter" do you mean take an old filter (pump, housing, media) out and install the Whisper, or do you mean changing the filter media cartridge?

If it's the first, I'd follow thecichlidaddict's advice.

If it's the second (just changing the cartridge), chances are the compartment where you put the cartridge in has some room in the back (my Whisper 10 does). You can put a new filter cartridge in there for a few days (or a week), before you remove the old cartridge. This will allow bacteria to "seed" the new cartridge, before you remove the old one. If you do this, make sure that adding the second cartridge doesn't cause the water to spill back out of the intake side (right side, as viewed from the front of the tank).

 

[Mike&Diana]

I meant switching filters completely. But, as you just pointed out, sticking a replacement cartridge in the housing would probably work to "seed it" while the other still works as normal. As far as running 2 filters at once this is impossible as my hood does not have enough access for it. Again, thanks for the tips. I think I have all the info I need to know. If there is anything else, feel free to send me a message. Thanks everyone!

Mike