filter changing

[sazash]

we have a juwel aquaruim set up since end October, we have been changing white filter every week, black carbon has been changed once, we are now due to change black and blue coarse filters.

is it ok to change all 3 filters at the same time?

we only have opportunity to do this maintainance work on a sunday.......advice as soon as please!!!!!!

thanks,

 

[freshwatergal]

Well..I don't really know anything about the filter you are talking about. What is the difference between the white and blue?

 

[sazash]

white one is changed weekly, on the pack its described as poly pad.
the blue is coarse filter sponge.

the filter in layers with white on the top, then black carbon, then blue coarse.

 

[Changes-In-Latitude]

If the white and blue are sponges then you don't need to replace them, just clean them. You can do this by squeezing them out a few times in a bucket containing some of the water taken from your tank. If the black one has carbon then that will need to be replaced as carbon will break down and release what it had previously trapped. You'd be best off only cleaning/changing one filter at a time.
HTH

 

[Dragonslair]

My advice to you is if you are changing your white pad once a week then you have a problem with overfeeding, or you may have an overloaded tank.
You should rarely have to change your white pads as all the detritus should have been filtered out before this stage. The white pad is merely a water polisher. As to the blue pads. You should never need to change them. What you should do is take some of the matured tank water in a bucket, take the blue sponges and rinse them in the water. Never rinse them in tapwater because the bacteria trapped within the sponge will be killed off. Once the thick of it is cleaned off you can return the sponge back to the filter. Remember the sponge does not need to be spotless. For you filter sponges to need cleaning every week mean that the filtration system is not sufficient for the needs of the tank or as mentioned earlier you are overfeeding your tankmates.
Filter sponges works like any other "fishy" medium, the larger the surface area the more beneficial bacteria that can multiply and blue sponges are course by design so as to incorporate as much surface area as possible. You should also do regular water tests so you know the quality of the water. Just because the water is clear does not always mean it's safe for your fish. Ammonia, Nitrates and Phosphates are all "invisible" to the eye but are deadly to fish.

 

[gadazobe]

I have a juwel tank up and running for a few years. In that time I have NEVER changed the sponges (blue or white). There is no need to change them, just wash them out in tank water (in a bucket, not in the tank) and replace them. The only reason to replace them is if they fall apart through old age. Regarding the carbon sponge - also, it's not essential to keep carbon in the filter. Both my tanks run without using carbon on a daily basis - in fact, if you have a planted tank, carbon will remove a lot of the nutrients that the plants need. The only reason to use carbon is to remove any traces of medication that might have been used. But, if you do want to replace the sponges, change one a week, not all three at the same time.

 

[sazash]

i have the juwel instruction booklet in front of me.......
it says to replace the white every week.
replace black carbon 4-6 weeks.
and if this has been done its sufficient to clean or replace blue coarse at 6-12 weeks.

what i want to know is can i replace all 3, white, black and blue in one go......probably shouldn't but i want some advice

 

[Dragonslair]

You are obviously reasonably new to this hobby, I would guess. Juwel need to cover their backs, just in case anything happens and they are sued. So they err on the side of caution. There is no need to change the sponge filters, merely rinse them out. As mentioned earlier take some of the tankwater out, put it in a bowl/bucket and the take out the filter sponges, rinse them out and replace. Carbon sponge replace in about 2 months, depending on the number of fiah you have. Save you a lot of cash in the long run.

 

[sinistral]

I don't have a Juwel tank, but their instruction manual is available for download. So, I can't add necessarily to the other posters, but it does specify in the manual that the white filter is for mechanical filtration, the black filter is chemical, and there ought to be TWO types of blue sponge. One of them is coarse, the other is fine.

The manual then states if you do the changes as you have been doing to the white and black filters, then "it is sufficient to carefully clean or replace the coarse blue sponges at 6-12 weeks and the fine blue sponges at 3-6 months only".

Finally, the manual states: "Important - Cleaning or replacing the blue filter sponges will affect the bacterial cultures. We recommend therefore that only one of the sponges at a time is cleaned or replaced, never at the same time."

If you have been changing the white and carbon filters as you suggest, it's immaterial what you do with them as far as biofiltration goes. Helpful bacterial cultures haven't necessarily had time to build up on them. However, changing both types of blue sponge at the same time would likely destroy most if not all of your helpful, established bacteria.

Personally, I wouldn't change any of the filter or sponge material at all. I'd only "carefully clean" them, as the manual and other posters have suggested. You could therefore change the white and carbon filters at the same time, as long as you do NOT change or clean both types of blue sponge at the same time. Replacing both blue sponges could have very bad consequences...

 

[sazash]

thanks for everyones advice.

we have 'carefully cleaned' the carbon and blue coarse filter in tank water.

we have changed the white filter.

the fine blue filter has been left untouched.

 

[thecichlidaddict]

THese companies usually recommend replacing of the media because it's a consumable product - they make more money.

I agree with everyone here that everything including the fine white pads and except for the carbon can be rinsed and re-used.

However over time the cellular structure of the pads breaks down. It becomes less effective at all types of filtration, and replacing does become necessary. I replace finer white pads monthly, and coarser sponges annually.

 

[Dragonslair]

I would go along with ciclidaddict on that one. Sounds reasonable and sensible to me.

 

[DrOizo]

DO NOT CHANGE ALL THE FILTERS AT ONCE!!! If you do then all of your benificial bacteria will be lost and you can say good bye to your fishies The Carbon filter needs to be changed every 4 weeks as it gets worn out and the wool filter cleaned or changed every week but the othher two blue ones do not need to be changed at all so Don't touch them