Renewing the Filters

[royboy]

Hi Guy's Haven't been on for a while, (for domestic reasons).But for any one interested my fish tank is now going well and the water is sparkling clean.
Since my last postings I have lost one of the neons don't know why? the rest of them all seem o.k and healthy. anyway my Question is.....
I want to renew my filter medium, as it has taken some-time to establish it (by cycling e.t.c) can I just take the old one out and replace it ....
or should I let it lay inside the tank for a few days before putting it in the filter holder?

 

[Bol]

If you want to renew (i.e. 'revitalize' or make more effecient) your old media, the general consensus is to swish it around in a container of siphoned tank water (not tap water) to remove most of the gunk.

If you're trying to reactivate charcoal in the media, the short answer is, don't bother trying.

If you're asking about the safest way to replace your media, then I'd say the best possible way would be to run them both in the filter for several days, before removing the old one. It's generally possible to add a second media cartridge in most of the HOB filters I've seen. What type of filter do you have?

 

[royboy]

Thanks for the suggestion Bol.
the filter is a FLUVAL 2 there is no way I would be able to put the new filter medium in with the existing ones as there is not enough room.
However there are two filters in the holder, would it be possible to just replace one and then fit the other one at a later time ?

 

[gadazobe]

Why do you want to replace the filter media? It's enough to just clean them in tank water and then put them back. Filter media lasts a long long time and just needs cleaning every now and then. The only time I clean my filter is when the water flow isn't as strong as it should be, but it's very rare that I actually replace the media.

 

[Bol]

However there are two filters in the holder, would it be possible to just replace one and then fit the other one at a later time

If that's the case, then yes. If there are two filters, and you need to replace them, then generally people will advise alternating the changes -- change one, and a week or two (or four!) later, change the other.

However, as gadazobe mentioned, many filter cartridges can last far, far longer than the manufacturer suggests, with occasional cleaning. Especially if the cartridge is made of foam -- those that are made of material that looks more like "batting" or cloth tend to physically fall apart sooner, in my experience. The exception to this is a filter cartridge that contains activated charcoal. The cartridge itself will still function as a mechanical filtration device, but the charcoal loses it's chemical filtration ability quite quickly, and is, for practical purposes, un-re-chargeable.

 

[royboy]

Thanks guy's. On your suggestions seems I will keep the old filters in for a bit longer, manufacturer recommends a change of media every three months.
As you suggest I have already washed them out a couple of times when I do a water change,
Is there any warning signs as to when the filter medium needs replacing?

 

[gadazobe]

Yes, it falls apart when you wash it