Question About Filters And Bacteria

[dc1377]

So this may be a dumb question, but I read the section on filters and it says never to rinse off a filter in chlorinated water as it will kill the essential bacteria. I'm now rinsing my filter out in the old fish water when I do water changes and I was wondering what happens when I change the filter? Is there something I should be doing when inserting a fresh filter? Why even change the filter at all - Why not just continue to rinse it out in the old water?

Also, doesn't the bacteria live all through the tank, not just in the filter cartridge, but in the gravel and such. I'm just looking for a little more education on filters and bacteria as I'm still kind of new to this.

Thanks - DC

 

[Aqua Tom]

You should never change the filter media. The filter manufacturers just tell you that to make more money off you.

 

[dc1377]

Really... NEVER change the filter? I am talking about a carbon filter for a Marineland Penquin 100. It is the only filter that is in the tank. SHould I just continue to rinse it out indefinatly?

I will also have some more questions about filters as I will be upgrading my tank soon.

 

[Aqua Tom]

The carbon filter is only realy of use if you want to remove somthing specific from the tank, eg medicine.

Ditch it & use some more sponge, rings, balls or whatever is your prference, in its place.


Tom

 

[XeroTolerance]

Most of the bacteria live on the filter media. If you want to change your filter when it is falling apart add a new cartridge in with the old one for a few weeks. Than you can take the old one out and throw it away. The concept there was to "seed" the new filter media so you didn't change it completely.

 

[dc1377]

But there is still bacteria in the tank, right? It doesn't all live in the filter? I'm not starting the cycle over when I change the carbon filter, am I?

Also, what would be suggested to use instead of carbon and how would I place it in the filter slot? I just buy the 'Rite Size' filters that fit my particular model. Are there other pre-fit options available, or would I have to do some cutting to make it fit?

Again, thanks for the help and BTW - This is for a 10 gallon tank with 6 community fish in it.

 

[XeroTolerance]

You are correct. There are bacteria in other places but if you take the filter pad out you will have a mini-cycle on your hands.

 

[fluttermoth]

No, there's virtually no bacteria lose in the tank, so if you're replacing the whole of the inside of the filter then yes, you are in a permanent fish-in cycle (although there should be enough bactaria clinging to the actual body of the filter to be seeding the new media.

If you look in your LFS (or on Ebay) you should be able to find some filter sponge that you can cut to size (pond stuff is usually the cheapest; use your old one as a template; you want the new piece to fit snugly, or the water will bypass it).

 

[eaglesaquarium]

But there is still bacteria in the tank, right? It doesn't all live in the filter? I'm not starting the cycle over when I change the carbon filter, am I?

Also, what would be suggested to use instead of carbon and how would I place it in the filter slot? I just buy the 'Rite Size' filters that fit my particular model. Are there other pre-fit options available, or would I have to do some cutting to make it fit?

Again, thanks for the help and BTW - This is for a 10 gallon tank with 6 community fish in it.

The bacteria that you need to have a properly working biofilter are 99.99% in the filter. There is almost none in the tank water itself, which is why you can have ammonia spikes if the filter is turned off for a period time. (Just a week ago, my filter was unplugged unbeknowst to me for about 18 hours. The ammonia spiked up to aout 0.25ppm. If there were the proper bacteria in the rest of the tank, that wouldn't have happened so rapidly.)

As mentioned above, if you need to change the filter media, put in a new cartridge and cut up the old one and keep it in the filter for a series of 6 weeks or so - take a small piece out each week during that time.

 

[giants1249er]

Can I still reuse the filter carbon cartridge after treating my tank (aquarium salt and high temp 86 degrees) for ich infestation? or replace it with a new one?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

The carbon isn't effective for very long. I wouldn't reuse it.

 

[Tizer]

once the carbon filters have been used, they cant be used again, they effectively fill up with junk and stop working as there is no more space for nasties, washing it does nothing, so over time, it will just leech the nasties back into the water.

 

[dc1377]

This is all very good information to know. I will look into a sponge filter or something similar to replace the carbon that I have been using. I have been replacing the carbon filter monthly, assuming that there was enough bacteria in the tank to keep the cycle going. I have also been rinsing the filter out with tap water bi-weekly and cleaning the entire pump apparatus with tap water about every three months. I have not had any issues with the fish and I checked my levels last night and everything looked in order but I do 25-30% water changes every 10-14 days.

So, let me know if this right - In the future I will have a sponge or similar filter that I rinse out in old fish water when dirty (maybe every week or two) and I use it pretty much indefinably. I know now to never use chlorinated tap water for any cleaning, so I guess when the filter apparatus needs cleaned I either rinse it old fish water or de-chlorinate a bucket of tap water? Also, should I continue with my current water change/gravel vac schedule?

I was always under the assumption that there was bacteria living all throughout the tank - In the gravel and in the substrate under the gravel. I wasn't aware that it was all in the filter and I guess that I don't really understand how that could be, but it seems to be the common consensus on this board so I will take it as fact.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

once the carbon filters have been used, they cant be used again, they effectively fill up with junk and stop working as there is no more space for nasties, washing it does nothing, so over time, it will just leech the nasties back into the water.

This part is not true. It is true that the carbon will not adsorb any more once it is "full", but it is not true that it will leach back into the water. Activated carbon actually provides a very nice home for bacteria colonies to reside once the carbon has been "used up".

 

[Tizer]

Activated carbon can leech phosphates back into the water. fact.

Zeolite however can be "recharged" in salt water and reused.