AquariusAli
ezSupporter
Posts: 205
Posted: 3/3/03 9:40 pm
How often do you all rinse/change your filter cartridges?
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I keep hearing mixed things about this - do you rinse the filter cartridges (in dechlorinated water, of course) weekly, and then change the whole cartridge monthly? What if you have a filter with more than one cartridge - do you alternate which ones you replace monthly in order to preserve the good bacteria, or does the biowheel and gravel take care of that?
Confused by differing advice. I should never talk to the people who run the fishstores in my town.
Ali
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jsrtist
Goldfish Moderator
Posts: 4774
Posted: 3/3/03 10:46 pm
Re: How often do you all rinse/change your filter cartridges
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Yeah dont listen to the pet store people ('cept me! ). The ones at my store even will tell you crazy stuff!
I personally rinse my cartridges (of course in the used tank water) anytime I see the filter flow slowing down. I have live plants in most of my tanks so they tend to clog the filters more. Every few weeks I'll take the Aquaclears apart and clean the impeller and everything. Ive never replaced the Aquaclear sponges, just rinsed them. Ive finally replaced some of the Biowheel cartridges but always cut part of the old cartridge floss and stuff it in the new one. And DJ (Kim) uses loose filter floss and just gives it a squeeze to clean it which is such a great idea. Also I rarely use carbon, only to remove meds. Im interested in seeing what others will say.
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fantail keeper
Posts: 229
Posted: 3/3/03 11:01 pm
changing media
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good answer Jenny, you know...it also depends on how mature your tank is. when it's new, you want to chage or rinsen the filter material at about 2 or 3 months depending on stock level. i have two tanks, twenty gallons each, no gravel, 3 goldies in each approx and about 1 year old. i rinse the filter material every 2 weeks and scrub the filter every month now. it depends on the filter and the scenario. it's kinda a zen thing sometimes.
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Dj n Lady
Posts: 896
Posted: 3/3/03 11:44 pm
media
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As Jenny said, I use loose filter floss (contined in mesh baggies to keep it from pulling out) which has worked really great for my tanks. When I see them releasing some of the bio material back into the water (a green hint to the water) I just rinse it out in out-going tank water, and drop it back in. I haven't had to replace any yet other than when I divided it when I got my new tank. Even then, it wasn't replacing it from being over-used, but just because I used half in each tank to seed the filters.
It cost me initially about $10 to set it all up, and I still have about 80% of the bag of filter floss left. As opposed to spending a fortune on the filter cartriges. Plus, it never stops the water flow.
In my aquaclear, I have the sponge on the bottom, then a baggie of the loose floss, and then the carbon pack sitting on top. In the Penguin, I just have it dropped in where the cartrige would go.
~Kim~
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jsrtist
Goldfish Moderator
Posts: 4781
Posted: 3/4/03 11:38 am
Re: media
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DJ I meant to ask what kind of baggies you use to keep the floss in. Just the other day at work I discovered that Aquaclear and I think Marineland actually make little mesh bags that have a drawstring at the top, so you can stuff the floss/carbon/ceramic rings in there. Is that what you use? Ive been using tulle (left over from the wedding, LOL) with a rubberband at the top. Also what kind of floss do you use? Does it make a difference? Im using a bag that my dad found in the shed last year, and I have no idea how old it is! They kept fish before I was born so Im wondering if its from the 70s… Is there a certain type thats better than the others? Also is there any chance of fibers coming loose and getting clogged in the fishs' gills or anything? Sorry Im just paranoid and try to think of everything.
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BuddyHolly
Posts: 127
Posted: 3/4/03 11:52 am
Re: media
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I stopped using carbon a while back. I have, in each of my tanks, a Whisper hob filter and an undergravel filter. I only rinse the filter cartridge in tank water (NOT just dechlorinated water) when it's so clogged up that I can see the nasty buildup. To help keep the UGFs from getting toxic, I just make sure to gravel vacuum right down to the plate once a week.
But I do have a question. Someone said they pull the filter apart and clean the impeller and stuff. I've never done that. Should I? How long do you leave the filter off? I suppose it would be ok to leave it off for an hour or so, yes? The other night, my cats, unbeknownst to me, unplugged Bootchy's hob filter and it dried out. Not the bag, just the rest of it. I suppose if I'd known, I could have gone ahead and pulled it off the back and taken it apart and cleaned it.
Chris
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jsrtist
Goldfish Moderator
Posts: 4786
Posted: 3/4/03 12:48 pm
Re: media
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I clean the impeller on my Aquaclear regularly because my plant fibers wrap around it and slow it down. Also it wont start up when I plug it back in if I dont clean it. Ive also done this to my Biowheel. Just make sure its unplugged before you mess with it and look at how it is before you take it apart so you remember how to put it back together!
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AquariusAli
ezSupporter
Posts: 206
Posted: 3/4/03 1:26 pm
Re: media
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Thanks for the replies, everyone. I haven't ever taken my filters apart either - I am afraid I won't be able to put them back together properly... I suppose I should at some point, though.
Ali
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Dj n Lady
Posts: 899
Posted: 3/4/03 6:31 pm
media
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Actually, I use the mesh baggies you get river rocks in from the craft store. (River rocks, marbles, etc) And just stuff it full. I haven't had any problems with it coming loose. I also haven't had any problems with the filter not working. It actually keeps it working better than the cartriges did I think it's packed in (and tangled) enough to keep it all in one piece. I just didn't want to spend the $4 on the cloth type baggies. I thought the mesh would let the water flow easier.
The brand I got was "blue ribbon". I don't think it matters about the brand as long as it's Polyester without anything else added to it. Though I haven't tried anything else I have enough here for another few hundred gallons.
Don't worry about being a little worried It's better than doing something that ends up hurting the fishies.
I generally don't take my filters apart much. I do think they should be taken apart every so often to keep everything working well.
~Kim~
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BuddyHolly
Posts: 131
Posted: 3/4/03 8:28 pm
Re: media
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LOL hahahaha. I'm really glad you pointed out to look at it closely before taking it apart. It reminds of of the first time I decided to clean a keyboard. I popped all the keys off and had a grand old time cleaning them and the board itself and when it was time to put them back on I had a horrible time! hahaha.
Chris
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hidr
Posts: 7
Posted: 3/5/03 7:42 am
Re: media
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No carbon? Ok I have had an oscor for the past 8 years. He started in a 55 and now lives in a 75. We do not test the water ever. He has a carbon filter and he gets about a 25percent water change ever 2 weeks. His tank has never been broke down and cleaned and he has been in it for 4 years although sometimes I take the filter off to cleen and do a 50 to 60 water change ever 4 months or so. He and the sucker mouth are about 12 in long each. The filter does 370 gph and has a biowheel.
This is the same type of care I had planed for my two gold fish in a 20 gallon with 330 gph bio wheel filter. I thought they needed the extra for the extra amona they put out.
But after reading a lot for the pass few days would my goldfish live longer with no carbon? And would water testing be something they need because they are goldfish and not an oscar? I have never had my tap water tested either. My last goldfish only lived a year and got that bloat thing and never recovered from feeding him wrong. (Flakes without soaking) And I really want to have these (Chip and Dip) live a long time.
Thanks
Chip and Dip's Mom
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hidr
Posts: 8
Posted: 3/5/03 9:11 am
NM
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Forget I asked. Found what I wanted to know.
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hl81
Posts: 27
Posted: 3/6/03 8:00 am
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during water changes each week
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