Biobag question

Siren

Siren

Mythological Creature
Dec 7, 2006
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Raleigh, NC, formerly from Michigan
desertsiren.deviantart.com
Okay, this is a complete newbie question, one I should know the answer to, but I've yet to come across this question in the boards.

I use Aquaclear HOB filters on my tanks. How do I change the 'biobag" without losing all the bacteria established on it? I realize there is a colony in the gravel, but wouldn't putting in a new bag cause a spike in ammonia? Is there a way to "prep" a new bag to take on a bacterial colony before I introduce it into the tank???
 
You usually don't have to change out a bio bag at all. Good ceramic ring bio bags last for years under normal wear and tear. If you find you have to, introduce the new bag on top of the old bag, and let it establish for a while in the water. Then move the new bag under the old bag, for another week. Cut the old bag, and start removing some of the media, ring, rock, whatever, untill it's been emptied over a period of about another week. This way, you bacteria can establish in the new bag, and build up levels as the old media is removed. Kinda causing a bacterial migration.


Oh yeah. Expensive biobags can be supplimented with a panyhose tube, tied off at either end, and filled with the ceramic bio rings. You can buy those by the pound in good LFS.
 
Awesome!
So ceramic rings are the best for those? What size (do they come in sizes? I've never used them before)?
 
I just uses sponges and floss in all my AquaClears. I have always thrown out the bio stuff they now include when I have added an AC.
 
The filters should come with everything that you need incuding the bio-media and the bag for it. If you need to buy more bio-media for the media bag, they sell it at the LFS and it is clearly marked what bio-media is for what filter. They also sell the sponges but really you should not have to replace any of this for years to come.

Marinemom
 
You shouldn't have to replace it unless you get a bad batch and the bio max disintegrates. You can tell when it disintegrates when you find little white sparkly powder floating through your water, on your fish, and decorations. This happened to me once, I just replaced the BIOMax and havn't had the problem since. I put the included sponge on the bottom, a potscrubber that has been cut, unrolled, and folded to fit the basket, then BioMax on top. I hope you like your AC!!

Daniel
 
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