Filter pad exchange

[FishManiac987]

I have a bio wheel 330 and i want to change the filter pad, but i was wondering if you have to do something special like hang the old pad in the water for a few days, or just put the new ones in. Thanks for your help in advance

 

[FishManiac987]

Will this help my fish at all
Some one please respond

 

[tstenback]

Have you tried just cleaning the filter cartridge in a bucket of tank water? If the flow is slow then this is what i do. I only change out the cartridge about every 6-8 weeks minimum. The bio wheel if well established will have enough bacteria in it to allow you to change out the old cartridge without any cycling. HTH

 

[TorPeteO]

I'm pretty sure all you have to do is switch it with a new one. The cartridges only need to be replaced because the activated carbon wears out, the biological filtration is done by the wheel. You are supposed to rinse the cartridge and spread the carbon evenly, though.

 

[impur]

Heres what you do. Head to walmart and get some quilt batting and rubberbands. Remove the cartridge and cut off the blue (or white depending on brand) filter floss away from the black plastic. Cut 2 small V's in the side of the plastic, one at the top and one at the bottom across from each other. Cut some quilt batting the size of the cartridge and hold it on with the rubberbands (which slide into the V's you cut) Presto, now you have a years worth of replacement filters for less than 5 bucks. BTW you don't need the carbon.

 

[TorPeteO]

You may not need the carbon, but it can't hurt. It obviously does something, or else the filter companies wouldn't bother putting it in there.

That's not to say you need it, and perhaps you don't. I think 3 levels of filtration if better than 2, though, so I'll continue using the pre-made filters with activated carbon inside (at least until I can't afford it any more).

Still a good tip, though, and would probably be cheaper if you did that, and bought activated carbon to put in your home-made filter cartridge. I may try that. Thanks for the tip!

 

[karrihug]

if it is the penguin 330 then it has two cartridges. only change one at a time. if you are only doing it because the carbon has worn out, this model also has media compartments behind the cartridge that can be filled with the media of your choice. i just rinse my old cartridge in old tank water(or if i forget i just declorinate a small amount to use) and put carbon in the media compartment.

hth

 

[impur]

Still a good tip, though, and would probably be cheaper if you did that, and bought activated carbon to put in your home-made filter cartridge. I may try that. Thanks for the tip!

Good call. I periodically will add carbon to the filter. Just gotta be sure to change it often as it can be used up and leech nasties back into the water.