Filter Media Changes - How often

joylynn

joylynn

AC Members
Jun 12, 2006
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Thornton, CO
I have tried doing a search on the forums to answer my questions and have read through several other websites that came up in a Google search, but I can't find anything that will tell me how often I need to change the cartridge in my filter. The box does say 3-4 weeks, but all my tanks are in some stage of cycling (with fish - learned the details of cycling a bit too late) and I am afraid if I remove and change the filter cartridge (both filters are HOB) I will delay the cycling. Can anyone give some real world advice?

I would keep searching, but I work from home and have gotten almost no work done since I found this site due to reading up about my fish! :read:

10G
3 Common goldfish
1 Pictus
1 Pleco
- I know I need to move the Pictus and Pleco into bigger tanks, we will be starting a bigger tank in a few weeks once the two I have set up are cycled

35G
9 Tiger Barbs
2 Pictus catfish
1 common pleco
3 Opaline Gouramis
1 Albino Rainbow Shark
1 Peacock Eel
- I know this tank is overstocked, hence starting a larger tank in a few weeks. I am learning quickly and am doing the water changes to keep this tank happy until it cycles and I can move some of the fishys to the future bigger tank.
 
Activated carbon should be changed every 5 weeks or so. Filter wool should be changed every one to three weeks, depending on how much you use. Sponges for biological filtration should be changed every 6 months or so, but rinsed in tank water every 6 weeks or so. If in doubt, go with the manufacturer's instructions. (I don't know what type of filter you have). As your tanks are cycling, wait until the cycle is finished before changing the cartridges.
 
well here's my $0.02 ;) I use an aquaclear HOB, which deosn't use cartridges and all I need to do is every few weeks rinse out the sponge that is in it. the ones that use cartridges are a little trickier since when you replace that cartridge you're losing some of your bacteria colony. not all of it, since bacteria also live in your substrate, but you will lose some of it. whether it will kick you into a mini-cycle when you replace the cartridge I don't know. hopefully someone else will have more experience with those filters.

I think I would say wait until your cycle is finished at least, then you could replace the cartridge knowing that you at least have a full substrate colony. then maybe I would get a sponge and some bio media to stick in there instead of the cartridges so you don't have to buy any more refills. that's up to you though. ;)

BTW: carbon isn't necessary unless you're trying to remove medication from the water or something similar. you can use it and be perfectly fine, but it's not a "must have"
 
You can still rinse the cartridge in aquarium water (from water changes) to clear any debris out.
 
Wait until you have finished cycling, then you can rinse your filter cartridges out ina container of tank water. Do this every other water change, or maybe alternate cartridges every change (if you have more than one in your filter). Replacing them all out will loose some of your bacterial colony. If you do need to replace one thats falling apart, put the new one in the filter for awhile, so you can get some goodies growing on it, before you toss the old one. Carbon is useful for removing toxins but otehrwise unnessesary, but not harmful.
 
Thanks for all the advice, it sounds like i need to just wait until they are done cycling to replace, then just go tiwh manufacturers direction. I may also look into just getting a sponge to go in there to save on cartridges and keep my little bacteria critters around as much as possible :)
 
Goldfish should be in a large pond(not one of those preformed liners), or a HUGE aquarium. They will grow to 12"+ when kept in a properly sized tank, to big for a 10g. I'm surprised nobody pointed that out yet.
 
Yeah, I had realized that after we got them. Those were the first fish we bought and we just bought a couple of the little feeder goldfish form the pet store as starter fish for for my daughter to look at and use to help teach her about feeding a pet, etc. All the typical reasons people with no knowledge buy a couple of goldfish :) I did get them a bigger tank within about 2 days of owning them and got them from the initial 1 Gallon we were sold with them into a 10 gallon almost imeediately.

We have rapidly gotten hooked on having aquariums and I am learning about all the bad mistakes I have made. We really figured since we were new to fishkeeping the little 26 cent goldfish probably wouldn't live very long, plus those feeder fish are notorious for not being the most healthy. Well they are thriving now (probably because we rescued them from the very overcrowded feeder tank at the store). So I will have to figure out what to do with my little fish as they grow. I have a bad feeling my $0.26 goldfish will require the most expensive tank of any of the fish I have :)
 
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