Duetto Filter

Scientiste

Scientiste

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Jun 19, 2008
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Rockville, MD
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How often should the filter be changed? I dont have the packaging anymore and cant find any info online about the filter lifetime.

I've found only the sponge filter component being sold online/in stores. Doesn't the charcoal have to be changed as well?

Thanks in advance for your advice!
 
The charcoal should be changed once a month at least. I don't use charcoal unless there is a specific reason to do so (need to remove medications, water is stained with tannins, etc.). The sponge can be rinsed and re-used until it is too ragged to hold together. Just rinse it in the old tank water when you do a water change (tap water will kill the denitrifying bacteria in the sponge).
 
Yes you can. Charcoal keeps the water a little bit clearer, and can remove some toxins from the water. But, if you are treating your tap water with a good dechlorinator such as Prime, most toxins will be neutralized already. A Duetto is a small filter in any case; I prefer to add extra foam in the space for the charcoal insert, to give it a little more room for biological filtration. You can just buy a big hunk of foam, such as the stuff used in a pond filter, and cut it to size instead of buying the Duetto-specific inserts.
 
I have a Duetto 100 in my 5 gallon.... I leave the charcoal pack in there... but I rinse it out by running water through it and tapping on it hard repeatedly.... after not very long it isn't doing anything chemically anymore, but it is a good bacteria home and it keeps the sponge from working its way up and blocking the impeller intake. The sponges I rinse and sqeeze out until they are clean and water runs clear through them.

If you want replacement filter media, dr foster and smith sells them.
 
carbon is an absorber it will rerelease what it has absorbed after a while, you should replace it monthly. I know our stores carry the carbon replacements. I thought you could open the plastic that holds the carbon, buy loose and replace it, that way most stores carry loose.
 
or if you can find poly filter pads you can cut to fit they change color to tell you when to change them.
 
robbob2112 said:
I have a Duetto 100 in my 5 gallon.... I leave the charcoal pack in there... but I rinse it out by running water through it and tapping on it hard repeatedly.... after not very long it isn't doing anything chemically anymore, but it is a good bacteria home and it keeps the sponge from working its way up and blocking the impeller intake. The sponges I rinse and sqeeze out until they are clean and water runs clear through them.

If you want replacement filter media, dr foster and smith sells them.
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It isn't a good idea to leave charcoal in there beyond it's usefulness. Once it has expired, it can become a severe source of Nitrates.
 
excuzzzeme said:
It isn't a good idea to leave charcoal in there beyond it's usefulness. Once it has expired, it can become a severe source of Nitrates.
Click to expand...


I think I am going to have to disagree with that.... Do you have something that backs it up?

Since carbon absorbs chemicals and heavy metals, but not nitrates or common organics in the water where would the nitrates come from?

If organic bits get caught it in and rot I can maybe see it... but that is just a matter of normal rinse and you may as well say the same thing about the sponges and floss.

That and I have left carbon in a filter literally for a year without ever seeing a sever nitrate spike that was unexplained.
 
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