Marina S15 Filter Sponge Question

[Royster]

I'm not sure if many are familiar with the Marina s15 but it has space for 3 cartridges to filter the water but I'm "meant" to change one of these every 3 to 6 weeks but I don't want to send the money so is there foam sponge I can buy to replace these?

I was thinking of running them together for a while before I remove the cartridges.

Any ideas guys ?

 

[fluttermoth]

What's in the cartridges now? Are they carbon? You could probably just not replace them, you don't particlarly need foam as such.

If you do want to change to foam, the cheapest option is to buy a large sheet made for pond filters and cut it to size (use your old ones as a pattern; if you make them too small, the water will be able to bypass the media round the edges ).

 

[coldcazzie]

The issue with those is that 2 of the cartridges are ammo lock cartridges, which means your filter isn't cycled and when you remove them you'll be in a fish in cycle. If you take them out it's definitely the best thing to do because then once your filter is cycled you won't gave to replace them again, ever, unless they physically fall apart. However, you're going to be doing daily water changes for a while, as per fish in cycling. What fish have you got, and what are your tank dimensions etc?

 

[coldcazzie]

I've just had a read through your history and as far as I can tell you had trace ammonia readings but nothing drastic, did the right thing by changing water, but never really went through a proper cycle.

You're also fully stocked, which means water changes are going to be a pita until you're cycled. Honestly, all you can do at this stage is go through the cycle.

When the water enters the filter, does the tube deliver it to the back, and then it passes through the cartridges back to front and then over the waterfall? I'm trying to remember from when I had one of those filters (I didn't use it cuz one of my kids stood on it and broke it! )

This is what I would do:
1. Replace the cartridges as you should this time, but place them in front of the little groove think they're supposed to sit in, then buy normal filter sponge and put it behind them - fill the space as much as you can, I know it's only small. Cut the marina cartridges up if you have to - remove the plastic surround bit.

2. Don't replace the carbon - it's a waste of money and is only useful for a few days at most to remove medicine after you've treated the tank for something. However after that it acts as media, so you're best to leave it there for the moment. Cut the carbon cartridge up and place it at the back, behind the new sponge, and next to where the water comes in - that way any bacteria that has built up will hopefully seed the rest of the new sponge.

3. Run it like that for 4-6 weeks, testing water every day/every other day to keep an eye on levels and changing water as necessary.

4. Next time it comes to replace cartridges, just chuck them. Replace with more sponge.

The idea is that by running the ammo lock at the end of the filter you will allow the beneficial bacteria to grow in the filter sponge but the ammo lock will still remove the majority of it after it has passed through the sponge. Then once you remove the anmo lock you should gave a partially cycled filter, and can continue testing and water changing as needed until you're definitely cycled. I only suggest this as the best course as you're fully stocked and also reliant on the ammo cartridges. If you only had a few fish I'd say, just replace with sponge and do a normal fish in cycle, but you don't.

Hope that helps a bit feel free to come back with any questions.

 

[Royster]

Holy sh1t thanks for that reply, it had so much info I had to read it twice to take it all in but I think I now know what to do, I'll do like you say and will replace the cartridges this time but where to get the foam?

Just walk into my lfs and ask for pond stuff? Cut it to fit and run them both together?

Once I get the new cartridges and the foam I'll update.

Thanks again for the reply.

 

[coldcazzie]

Haha, sorry for overloading your brain!

You can get filter sponge off ebay, this is the kind of thing I mean - I suspect that would be cheaper than your lfs, but you'd have to hunt around to find some in the UK, waiting 2 weeks for delivery from the far east wouldn't be practical really. Pond sponge might do the job - have a look on their shelves and see what they have - just make sure it isn't carbon (not necessary in your day to day running of the fitler) and doesn't have any kind of ammonia remover in it. Zeolite, ammo chips, those kind of things are all things to avoid.

 

[coldcazzie]

Here, quick mock up on paint, sorry it's a bit basic!

 

[Royster]

Sponge ordered and I'll pick up the new cartridges tomorrow, should I replace both cartridges and leave the carbon one since I'll be putting the old ones in as described in your picture

 

[coldcazzie]

Yeah, I'd replace the ammo ones and chop up the carbon one with a pair of scissors and make it fit near where the water enters

 

[Royster]

Coldcazzie, your a star.

 

[coldcazzie]

No worries people here have helped me in my time of need, just as I'm sure you will help others also

But you're welcome

 

[Royster]

Right, got the foam, get new cartridges cut the old ones up and put them in too, I'll update of my progress.

 

[CezzaXV]

Sorry to bump an old thread, but this is exactly my question!

I've got a Marina S15 but it doesn't seem terribly effective at removing cloudiness from the water. I'm currently in the process of cycling my tank. Would it be a wise/acceptable thing to do to add a layer of this sponge either between the inlet and the cartridges, or between the cartridges and the outlet for that added little bit of filtration? Am I reading that right?

I think the cloudiness comes from me not washing the substrate out enough, and the sponge on the inlet is quite coarse and I dont think it's catching the fine stuff.