dumb question regarding filter

[Aude]

So, I have a rather dumb question...I have one of those built in filters, the kind that sit in the hood of eclipse kits. I usually rinse off the filter media with tank water (so as to not kill the bacteria) every few weeks or so...it gets clogged up with this brown gunk. But am I cleaning it enough? And do I ever have to actually take out the filter cartridge media itself and replace it with new media? The tank instruction manual says to replace every month or so...but is that really necessary???
Thanks.

[Northernguy]

You can follow the instrucions ! When you get the new one rub it together with the old and get as much gunk (bacteria & algae) on the new one as possible. Just make sure there is nothing thats loose hanging off it and install it back in your filter!It will give the cartridge a jump start on the cycle.:c3:
Its always good to clean the cartridge during every water change to keep your filter running at max.

Questions are not stupid they are edumacational!!

[johnl]

The brown gunk won't hurt anything. All it does is slow down the flow. Don't replace the media in the filter unless you have too, if and when it falls apart. The manufacturer wants you to buy his products often therefore they recommend replacement once a month.

[Aude]

The brown gunk won't hurt anything. All it does is slow down the flow. Don't replace the media in the filter unless you have too, if and when it falls apart. The manufacturer wants you to buy his products often therefore they recommend replacement once a month.

That's what I was suspicious of...so I should be okay just cleaning the media?

[Northernguy]

Whatever you feel is right!!:c3:
No pics!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If the flow is slow,Clean it well.Do not use tap water, you will kill your bacteria and cycle!:c3:

[terrapin24h]

Careful, is the cartridge filled with carbon? If so, you should not let the carbon sit in there for infinity, you should either change it out or remove it altogether. I have 2 eclipse hoods, one for a 6gal and one for a 3. Based on someone's suggestion here, what i did was slit the cart up the middle of the filter media and dump out the carbon. Then i pack each carbon "chamber" in the cartridge with filter floss. Once a month or so I change out the floss and scrub the coarse media with a brush in tank water. You want to get the carbon out and *at least* change it every 4 weeks, as it will leech back into the water everything it removes, and can even leech phosphates and some other rather nasty stuff into the water if it gets too stale. Whether or not you choose to use carbon at all is an entirely different (and highly debated) topic. I don't use it in any of my tanks unless i'm removing meds or something(i also use it if i feed too much garlic and the tank stinks). Sometimes in the 3 gal, i'll just pack the cartridge chamber with floss and forego using the cart at all(it's my QT tank) hth

--chris

[Aude]

yeah...the filter is filled with carbon...so it might be easiest to just change the filter cartridge, then? Or to fill the media container with filter floss? Which would be better in the long run?

Are there filter cartridges I can buy that fit in the eclipse hood that are not charcoal based?

[terrapin24h]

yeah...the filter is filled with carbon...so it might be easiest to just change the filter cartridge, then? Or to fill the media container with filter floss? Which would be better in the long run?

Are there filter cartridges I can buy that fit in the eclipse hood that are not charcoal based?

It really comes down to whether or not you want to run carbon. If you want to run carbon your best bet is going to be to just change the cartridges every month or so. If you're ok dumping the carbon, then you can go that route, and stuff the empty cart body with floss. At the end of the day your carbon(if you use it) has to be changed regularly. Whichever way you go is up to you. There are alot of people here that use it and many that don't. I personally don't use it. hth

--chris

[Aude]

Sorry for the excess of questions...I'm slower today than usual : )

If I fill the emptied cartridge with filter floss will I be killing any beneficial bacteria? How far should I fill it up (volume wise, I guess)?

[Mvjnz]

I'd replace the carbon with coarse filter foam personally. That's where all the bacteria will grow.

Not sure what you mean by filter floss? Is that the white stuff? If so that will don nothing for your bacteria. It's there to filter the large particles in your water, and can be changed as often as you feel like.

[terrapin24h]

Sorry for the excess of questions...I'm slower today than usual : )

If I fill the emptied cartridge with filter floss will I be killing any beneficial bacteria? How far should I fill it up (volume wise, I guess)?

if your carts are anything like mine, they have a coarse filter element on them, that's what you slit up the middle to get the carbon out (don't remove it) Then pack the chambers with floss. Then periodically, replace the floss and scrape off the coarse sponge. You'll lose no more bacteria than if you replaced the cartridge, and may even end up with more as i don't think the bacteria would grow on the carbon. Or, you could get fancy and fill half the chambers with bio noodles and the other half with floss. I rely on the biowheels and the substrate to support my bacteria and consequently just use all floss. Floss gums up quick but does an awesome job scrubbing the water.

--chris

[Northernguy]

Don't you get mini cycles from that ?
Have you tested to see if you get mini cycles or does your amm. pellets and gravel fully maintain it !

[terrapin24h]

Don't you get mini cycles from that ?
Have you tested to see if you get mini cycles or does your amm. pellets and gravel fully maintain it !

no not really, and I don't use ammonia pellets, though i do have some just in case i ever get an ammonia spike i can't control. My stuff has bio wheels, so the bacteria hang out on those as well as on the gravel, tank walls, decor, filter tank walls, and fake plants--just like in any other tank(from what i've read pretty much any surface under water will have bacteria on it). I clean that stuff very rarely, and I test all the time and the only time i've had mini cycles is when i hit the tank with meds :) These are all cartridge filters, so if you look at it from that perspective I actually put bacteria *back* in the tank as i reuse the same cartridge body and just change out the floss i stuff it with and clean off the top of the coarse media. They are generally quite slimy, and i take care to handle them by their edges.

--chris