Going Throught Filter Media Too Fast!

[slene_108]

Hi All

I have a 4 foot tank (375L) and a trickle filter installed at the back of the tank, and I seem to be going thought the media quite fast, i am allmost changing it bettween once every 1-2 weeks. Is that normaly for the size of the tank. I have 52 fish (yes I know alot) and i know this as an inpact on the media. Just want to make sure nothing is realy wrong, and to stock up on more media so then i'm not caught out, without any...lol.

Cheers

 

[Always Learning]

What media?

Do you just mean polishing cloths, or white wool, whatever you have in there? You can just rinse it out a few times, but yeah, that's usually the only one you'd have to change more frequently.

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, agree with AL, usually the "fine mechanical" media (fine mechanical meaning it catches the smallest debris particles - they are usually pads of flossing or loose floss packed into an area) are the only media, besides chemical filtration media, that are removed and replaced. The main/majority of filter media in both the mechanical and biological categories are typically rinsed in tank water and re-used for the life of the hobbyist or until the media fall apart in some way. The main media are typically sponges, ceramic gravels, ceramic bioballs, ceramic rings, plastic bioballs, vocanic chunks or a few other things. To varying degress these are all used for bio or mech media. The third category, chemical, is typically carbon or zeolite or some other chemical resin. Chemical media are optional and temporary, often being useful only for a few days to solve a very specific problem. Don't hesitate to drop in over in the freshwater beginners section if you'd like more info on filtration.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[IAmATeaf]

Sorry to the OP for butting in but I've got 3 carbon bags in my Fluval 305 which I've just rinsed out, are these long dead then and serving no purpose? If so then what should I replace them with?

 

[raptorrex]

Hi All

I have a 4 foot tank (375L) and a trickle filter installed at the back of the tank, and I seem to be going thought the media quite fast, i am allmost changing it bettween once every 1-2 weeks. Is that normaly for the size of the tank. I have 52 fish (yes I know alot) and i know this as an inpact on the media. Just want to make sure nothing is realy wrong, and to stock up on more media so then i'm not caught out, without any...lol.

Cheers

why are you changing the media? the vast majority last till it falls apart. also what impact, do you think, it has on the life of media. lol, even with 52 fish, the only thing that should need changing, regularly, is the water.

see, I'm not trying to "have a go". just after the reasons, for your question.

 

[slene_108]

You have all answered my question. Thanks, i'm not so worried anymore. Cheers

 

[salty pig]

Hi All

I have a 4 foot tank (375L) and a trickle filter installed at the back of the tank, and I seem to be going thought the media quite fast, i am allmost changing it bettween once every 1-2 weeks. Is that normaly for the size of the tank. I have 52 fish (yes I know alot) and i know this as an inpact on the media. Just want to make sure nothing is realy wrong, and to stock up on more media so then i'm not caught out, without any...lol.

Cheers

why are you changing the media? the vast majority last till it falls apart. also what impact, do you think, it has on the life of media. lol, even with 52 fish, the only thing that should need changing, regularly, is the water.

see, I'm not trying to "have a go". just after the reasons, for your question.

There's that bloomin fly again....

 

[MikeO]

Sorry to the OP for butting in but I've got 3 carbon bags in my Fluval 305 which I've just rinsed out, are these long dead then and serving no purpose? If so then what should I replace them with?

carbon will leach what it has absorbed back into the tank after a period of time, so if its old then the chances are it is doing more harm than good and should be removed/replaced.

I totally removed my carbon and wont bother replacing it...... the cost would be too much to keep replacing it imo.

 

[OldMan47]

Carbon does not leach but it does stop working fairly quickly as a chemical media. Since you have had yours in the filter a long time, it is probably doing a part of the bio-filtration by now, so don't just pull it all at once.

 

[MikeO]

I believe it does leach back out. There are plenty of reports and studies to suggest so and my LFS advise against using it for the same reason unless prepared for regular replacement.

 

[Essjay]

Have a look at this thread
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/250164-activated-carbon/
Basically, any substance adsorbed onto the carbon is in an equilibrium with some left free in the water. This equilibrium is a fixed thing, a certain percent of the total amount will always be in the water. When you do a water change you remove some of the substance dissolved in the water, so to maintain the equilibrium (ie keep the amount in the water at the the same percent of the total), some has to come off the carbon.

 

[OldMan47]

I must agree that I see lots of reports of it leaching chemicals Mike. That does not make it so. At one time, not that long ago in historical terms, mariners worried about sailing off the edge of the flat world's oceans. That did not mean that it was true that it could happen. It merely meant that lots of people believed something that was not true.