newly cycled tank, change filter?

[BMCarter]

my 20g heavily planted tank recently finished cycling early last week (went very quick, just over a week thanks to bacteria impregnated substrate).

i have a whisper filter, and the filter media looks to be very dirty, its brown in color now, and appears to have bits and pieces of plants in it. i'm not sure what that does to the quality of the filtration (induce more ammonia?), although the flow of water has not diminished.

any recommendations? i tried my best to clean it off when i did a water change before i added my fish (3 tiger barbs), but the filter still doesn't look pretty. the fish were added on friday.


Thanks,
Brent

[Mgamer20o0]

i wouldnt mess with it. i only change the sponges when they are about to fall apart. it should be fine.