Replacing filter?

Seriously? Carbon filter isn't needed? I have a fluval 304 on a 55g tank. I have had all four media types on a 4 week cycle of replacement with each type being rinsed in waste tank water during weekly water changes. Filters are: foam (vertical), prefilter (bottom basket), carbon (middle), biomax (top).

Sorry to hijack your thread, MollyFan1. :thm:
 
activated carbon does help reduce pollutants in the tank. but ....it is not necessary if you are active and constant about water changes and maintenance.
you do not have to replace the white filter part on whispers if you just want to add carbon..the cartridges come apart..remove the clip and slide out the frame..dump out the old carbon and add new. I don't even dump the old..like sugested..just rinse it out in tank water (not in the tank :) )

I use a whisper on my 10 gal tank..I float the bag in my sump on my 75..that way it has a charged filter all the time...
 
i have had a new 10 gal tank for 2 month's. i never changed the watever bag inside and now it's like a pile of mudd or something it's too ruined so i have to get another one sometime this week. dont wate till u see stuff floating around the tank, the poisening may alreadt have happened. but yah if u can keep cleaning it yourself it will save a good six bux!
 
I will just rinse the filter cartridge every month with tank water and I'll keep the same cartridge for 6 months. I have no clue about carbon or anything else about this filter cartridge...it looks alright just icky looking and slimy but it's all in one piece.

So in 5 months would it be good to get a new one? would that start a mini- cycle? and what exactly is a mini-cycle...is that only a few days where the ammonia, nitrites and nitrates will be high?
 
If you're concerned about losing the beneficial bacteria living in your filter, you may want to add some bio balls or bio chem stars where beneficial bacteria can live. I've also used a product called Biozyme that comes in a small yellow filmstrip can (remember those) that will help to re-establish your bacteria colonies. Just my $.02.
 
The bacteria that is needed for the tank to support the fish will grow everywhere in the tank including the filter but not just in the filter. A mini cycle usually lasts just a few days as opposed to weeks with the original cycle. The longer the tank has been set up the less chance of a mini cycle. If you are really worried about it you can add another filter to this tank and run both filters on it. That way you will only change out the media on one of the filters and a few weeks later you can do the other one. If you do it this way then there will not be anything to worry about since one of the filters will have most of the bacteria needed for the tank while the other is being maintenanced. Besides you can never overfilter a tank. It's all good.

Marinemom
 
In my opinion this will cause a mini cycle and you will probably run into a problem, depending on your bio-load. The bacteria does indeed grow inside your tank but most of it's in the bio media of your filter. I recommend slowly changing out the existing media (if possible) and replacing it with bio-media that doesn't need regular replacement.
 
Man, Reddog - you come through once again! Is there anything about aqauriums that you don't know? lol :girl:
 
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