question about filer changes.

**jczinger** · 11-19-2006, 02:41 PM

I have read some of thee posts here concerning filter changes and am confused on one topic.

I have a whisper 5-15 power filter for my ten gal, and a aqua teh 20-40 for my twenty gal. if the charcol is only good for about a month, but I don't need to change (only clean in tank water) the filters until the tanks have fully cycled. How do I change the charcol when it is inside the cartriges of these two types of filter?

**jeffs99dime** · 11-19-2006, 04:15 PM

i don't use charcoal unless i'm removing meds from the water. charcoal is only good for 2 weeks max.

**jczinger** · 11-19-2006, 05:56 PM

with the filters that I have, the charcol is in them from the get go. Should I just continue to use the one that I start out with until it is just completely to the point it needs replacing? if so, then how do I go about transfering the bacteria to the new filter?

**NorthernBoy** · 11-19-2006, 06:27 PM

I am not really familiar with you filter design but see in your filter mechinism if you have both a biobag and a charcoal filter. You should be able to rinse the biobag gently in tank water and change the charcoal about once every 4-6 weeks. If the charcoal is truely "super" or "ultra" activated you may be able to go longer. I disagree that charcoal is useless after 2 weeks. But charcoal does release the filtered contaminants back into the tank if you don't change it soon enough. I use chemi-pure on the top layer of my eheim and I used it in my old filter too. I never changed it before 3-4 months and is continued to be active for other people much much longer. Long live chemi-pure!

**Lady Hobbs** · 11-19-2006, 06:31 PM

When they talk about removing the charcoal, they are referring to the entire filter.

Do nothing with your filter media until your tank has fully cycled. You can sloash it around in fish water (that has been removed and in a bucket) to get the excess stuff off it but if you replace it you will lose your bacteria that's formed there. Also, do not rinse in tape water or the chlorine in the tap water will destroy the bacteria.

If I were you, I'd try to get some bio spira and if you can't find that (LPS store only refrigeratored) get some Stress Zyme at Walmart and add to your water exactly as directed. And no more often than directed. Pour it in the back of your tanks right on the filter media. It's added bacteria to help speed your cycle along.

Also...........no cleaning of the tank or gravel. Leave it alone until cycling is finished.

What's bad about cycling with fish is you must have water test kits to test your water daily for ammonia and nitrites. Well, have to have this anyway. Not the strips, either, but Master Test Kits which are liquids. With living fish, you will get ammonia levels that have to watched carefully or your fish will die. And then after that nitrite levels that can also kill your fish. It's a huge pain and it may well be worth your time to take a couple weeks and cycle without fish.

**CJ1** · 11-19-2006, 11:54 PM

Originally Posted by jeffs99dime

i don't use charcoal unless i'm removing meds from the water. charcoal is only good for 2 weeks max.

Most people do need to use charcoal because of what's in most tap water. Also it will last 4-6 weeks.

**Lady Hobbs** · 11-20-2006, 12:09 AM

The charcoal filters are supposed to remove medication from the tank. But if it's used constantly, how do you know that charcoal is still effective at removing the med?

Is there some reason sponge or other filter materials can't be used for daily use and charcoal used for medication removal?

**kimmers318** · 11-20-2006, 02:31 AM

I think what jczinger is trying to figure out here is how to handle the type of "all in one" filter media/cartridges that are coming with a lot of tanks these days. Very simply, there is a pre-made filter media that has carbon sealed inside and is usually also pre-shaped/formed with plastic sides, bottom, back, what have you and it just slips right into the filter unit. Thus, there is no way to remove the carbon short of slicing open the filter pad and dumping it out. That is an option. I have several of these types of filters jc and what I find works is to simply do the rinse in used tank water so as not to hurt my bacteria when I do water changes. Every 4-6 weeks I replace the filter media with a new one....but DO NOT do it the same day you do water changes. Your filter media is a great source of bacteria, but there is also plenty in your tank clinging to your substrate and decor. Since you do upset the tank some when you do water changes, you don't want to further upset things by removing the media at the same time. Wait til halfway between water changes to replace media. Also, then, when you do your regular water change you probably won't even need to rinse filter media and it won't be disturbed. Another option is if you can fit 2 media cartridges into the filter add the new one to start culturing bacteria about a week before needing to remove old used cartridge. The ease of being able to just change out a cartridge has it's benefits, but the worry of destroying bacterial cultures is a drawback. I have had good luck with the needed changes as I outlined and don't feel that I have caused my tanks any undue harm.

**jczinger** · 11-21-2006, 03:24 PM

Kimmers,
Thanks for the info, that is exactly what I was looking for. However, the filters that I have came with the regular filter to catch all of the debris and what is called a Bio Filter. This stays in the filter housing and is not removed. Could this be a good source of bacteria for the new charcol/filter media?

**kimmers318** · 11-21-2006, 05:40 PM

The bio wheel is just what you think it is...a good source for constantly living bacteria, and yes, they stay with the filter. You don't ever want to remove the biowheel unless absolutely necessary. I would still be cautious about replacing filter media though between water changes, especially on smaller tanks since they are much more sensitive to swings in water parameters by the simple fact that they have less water volume for dilution.