Filter Change

[gearhead65]

Hopefully not too stupid of a question, but how often do you do a filter change? I been reading that the filter holds good bacteria. So, it does more than just filter? Also, my tank came as a "kit". It came with two filter slots; one carbon filled cotton filter and a plastic container that is the same size as the filter. What is the empty plastic one for? Can it be filled with carbon or something? Recommendations?

 

[kchung]

I have the same question as above. How does one maintain the beneficial bacteria in a fully cycled tank? Many filter instructions say to change the filter every month. What are the steps involved for weekly maintenance of a fish tank after the tank has been fully cycled and stocked with fish?

 

[the biffster]

what filters do you have internal or external

 

[karin]

Don't think of it as "changing" a filter. You are absolutely right that the filter and the materials or "media" inside are the surfaces that the beneficial bacteria like. So you don't change them if you can help it. What most forum members say is that you should rinse out the media in old tank water every couple of months. Only really change a sponge or other media if it is falling apart. So that means some of your media will last years. The manufactures want you buying the stuff regularly, so they recommend replacing the material but it is unnecessary and could cause mini cycling because you would be throwing out your bacteria.

Also most people recommend using charcol only to remove medications. If you have medicate the tank, then when the medication needs to be removed use the charcol. Charcol is only good for 3-5 days, so save your charcol and replace that in your filter with another sponge or better yet, buy some ceramic rings (available in the filter section of your LFS), both of which are good materials for your beneficial bacteria.

Hope that helps.

 

[Fish_Man43]

Don't think of it as "changing" a filter. You are absolutely right that the filter and the materials or "media" inside are the surfaces that the beneficial bacteria like. So you don't change them if you can help it. What most forum members say is that you should rinse out the media in old tank water every couple of months. Only really change a sponge or other media if it is falling apart. So that means some of your media will last years. The manufactures want you buying the stuff regularly, so they recommend replacing the material but it is unnecessary and could cause mini cycling because you would be throwing out your bacteria.

Also most people recommend using charcol only to remove medications. If you have medicate the tank, then when the medication needs to be removed use the charcol. Charcol is only good for 3-5 days, so save your charcol and replace that in your filter with another sponge or better yet, buy some ceramic rings (available in the filter section of your LFS), both of which are good materials for your beneficial bacteria.

Hope that helps.

Also most people recommend using carbon only to remove medications etc

 

[wwpecker]

I often wondered about this, I have a Juwel tank with 5 filters but could never see the point in changing the filters as per makers instructions, they are plastic so dont degrade,,, i do change the top filter every so often as it's thin and comes apart, but the others i rinse in newly removed tank water, in rotation ie, one filter every couple months and always seem to have healthy water..

 

[waterdrop]

Both of you up there at the top of this thread are wise to be asking the question!

Filter maintenance is in fact quite an important topic to the hobby and one that all beginners should pay attention to and try to continue to learn about during the first several years of their hobby experience. There's no way to learn all the subtleties right away! The advice up above is good! Many experienced aquarists tell tales of maintaining their good biological media for a lifetime! Filter floss (or "fine mechanical" media as its technically called) that filters out the smallest particles is indeed the item more often replaced, as it breaks down more quickly and is not the main bacterial repository.

The recommendation we often make for beginners regarding frequency of the cleaning operation is to start monthly but then to consider modifying this to be more frequent in some cases if nitrate(NO3) readings seem to rise between cleanings. Nitrate is a good indicator of hundreds of other organics, heavy metals and other things in the water that we never have the time or ability or money to test. If nitrate seems to continue to rise, we know these other things may be rising also. The weekly water change is the primary guard against problems in this area but the monthly (or possibly every two weeks) filter rinse (in old tank water) is also of primary importance.

~~waterdrop~~