filter change question

[camshaft]

i always hear people talking about "preserving" as much media as possible when changing filters. what does this mean?

 

[Tolak]

It means reusing some of the old media to maintain your biological filtration. Take out too much of the old media, & you risk an ammonia or nitrite spike, known as a mini-cycle.

Tolak

 

[sylvia]

Are you changing your whole filter? If so, keep the old media. If the filter's a different size so the old media would render it less efficient, run both filters in the same tank for a week. This way some of the good bacteria from the old filter will migrate to the new. Then, after the week or two, discontinue the old filter. Don't add any enw fish for another week though so that the new media has a chance for all the bacteria in it to multiply till there are enough to deal with your bioload.

Are you changing the media? Then don't. Unless it's actualy falling apart, you don't need to ever replace it. Just rinse the debris out in old tank water (from a water change).

Keep in mind that, regardless of what you do, if you don't have a source of ammonia in the tank (eg fish waste or pure ammonia), the bacteria will begin to starve and you'll end up with an un-cycled tank all over again.

 

[camshaft]

ok i guess im a moron.

heres my filter

is the white filter at the front the "media?" and i leave them in there? and obviously the blue fitlers in the back are the bio-filters that i change out right?

cant believe i dont know this........

 

[Gazoo]

When doing my weekly water changes I only rinse my AquaClears' powerfilter sponge & BioMax in water that I've siphoned from my tank. There is no need to replace them.