Not trying to take over the forums, but didn't want my posts to clash!

I have a 55 gallon tank and I'm currently running a marineland emperor bio-wheel 350, so it only turns over 350 gallons/hour, which I'm learning is not enough for goldfish. I am pretty diligent about my water changes, but I wouldn't complain about having some extra "horsepower" to help keep up with the mess.

I was thinking of adding another 350, so that I will have all I need and some extra.

My main question is: Will adding another filter disrupt my cycle at all? This tank took a long time to cycle and is just kind a pain to maintain when the water parameters get out of whack.

My other question is: Should I replace the filter cartridges that come on a stock bio-wheel with some sort of filter media? This is my first big tank, and I'm not really sure I guess how filtration works. I have the same filter cartridges that came on the original filter with the charcoal inside. I've replaced them a couple times but also recall reading somewhere that not replacing them and just leaving the cartridge in there and rinsing them off in tank water once in a while during cleaning helps beneficial bacteria grow, which is what I'm guessing the filter media is for.

Sorry about the long post, I really appreciate everything these forums have done for me and my fish! Thank you in advance!

Adding a new filter should in no way bump your cycle. Nothing will happen to the bacteria already living in your existing filter, rocks/gravel, etc so there's no reason for a bump. Eventually, bacteria will colonize in the new filter too - probably reducing the colony in the old filter so that they're fairly even. This is actually a good thing, because this way if either filter fails, the other one is equally capable. Also, you could use one filter temporarily to seed a new tanky, while the other one keeps working.

The 350 used to be called a Penguin 350 - and had two baskets at the back of the filter box where you could simply pour in the media - sintered glass, ceramic cylindars, etc. I do not know about the newer model - does it have an extra place for media?

In general, the filter cartridge is mostly for mechanical filtration. The floss on the front of the frame filteres out the grossly sized gunk and mulm of the tank. The carbon is the "chemical filtration" the box advertises. The carbon is only good for about 1-2 weeks, before it "fills up" and becomes mostly inert. You can safely remove the carbon by slitting the blue floss and knocking the carbon out into the garbage. In tanks that I am neither salting nor treating, I generally leave the carbon in the cartridge and do not worry about it. After some time, the carbon actually becomes a platform for beneficial bacteria.

You should see if you can add in a place for biological media. I am not sure, but I think I recall seeing that the newer 350s had a second slot in them - one slot (front) for the mechanical/chemical filtration cartridge, and one slot for a clamshell that you can fill with media. Is this correct? Does the clamshell come with the filter? If not, I would suggest getting one. They are great.

In the "larger" Emperor filters, there are two slots - the front one is for the mechanical/chemical cartridge and the back holds a gray plastic "clamshell" that allows you to stuff it with sintered glass, bio-balls (small), ceramic noodles, etc. Filling one of these (or 2 int he case of the 350 or 400) gives you marvelous biological platform for your biological filtration. On my 56 tank, I have an Ehiem caninster (260gph) and TWO Emperor 280s going. The fish love it. (so do I!)

If the 350 does not have a basket for media - or a slot for the clamshell - or you cannot get the clamshell, I would suggest going for the Emperor 400. It has become a much more common filter - and the price, at least around here - has dropped below the price for the 350. It is even cheaper than the 280 if you watch your sales.....

If you have a P e t S**** - check on line. Print off their on-line price page - and take it to the store. The store has to honor the on-line price. It is great savings. I got an air-pump the other day for $3.99 - regularly $18.99!! Then compare BigAls on-line prices. The two bounce back and forth between which one is cheaper.

For sure! The longer I've kept goldies, the more filtration I've added! I try to always have much more than needed, it just makes keeping up with everything easier.

As for the biowheel, I have a smaller version with just one floss/carbon cartridge. I also put ceramic cylinders in there with it, as long as there's still enough flow to keep the wheel turning it should be fine. I don't replace the cartridge too often, unless I've added medication and need the carbon to remove it, I usually just rinse it with tank water to remove most of the 'sludge'. The good thing about adding a second filter is that if you do decide to replace the cartridge, it won't have as big of an impact on your cycle because the media in the second filter will still have all of the benifical bacteria.

Right now, I have 1,250 gph filtration on my 55g. I'm so not looking forward to taking off 450gph, becuz I'm worried it's too dependant upon it. My Rena is there for the most part to get seeded (which it has), but works with 2 Emperor 400's.

I'll prolly add a hydro filter to help with the transition.

But TOO MUCH filtration is really hard I think, on a goldie tank.

It looks like there is extra room in the two reservoirs for maybe the clamshell you are talking about. The filter didn't come with anything like that. I did do a search for "clamshell" on bigals.com and didn't find anything. What about a media bag? Would this be the same idea? I think I probably could just dump media in there, like chrissy suggested, but should media be rinsed in tank water once in a while to get gunk and stuff off? This might be easier if the media is contained somehow.

Also, there seems to be so many different kinds of media! Do they all serve different purposes or is it just because some people think some work better than others? How do I choose and does it even matter?

Well, I found the clamshell you were talking about daryl. I found it while I was researching the emperor 400 filter. It looks like the 400 may come with at least one of these. In theory, could I take out both of the floss/carbon filter parts and have four of these clamshells running on the new filter?

Yes, you can. I recommend that you use the bluefloss covered filter cartridges that come with (or go with) the Emperor filters in the BACK slot of the filter. This will provide your mechanical filteration. They are great. You can knock out the carbon if you wish. I do. Then, each time you clean your tank, pull the blue floss covered cartridge out of the filter box and either bang it really hard in the bucket of used fish water or, since youare going to have other media, I blast mine clean under the faucet. This is then replaced - all fresh and blue ready to catch the nasty waste again.

You do NOT Have to replace that cartridge very often. I replace it only if I have to - when the floss is literally falling off the plastic frame.

Then, in the clamshell, you canput sintered glass, tiny bioballs, ceramic cylindars. You can even use pieces of sponge or floss, but these are NOT my favorites. I like the "hard" media. It is basically indestructible - and can be boiled out and reused forever. I have sintered glass that I have been using and reusing for over for years and years.

If you do not wish to use the clamshell for media, it is perfectly acceptable to drop a bag of the "hard" media (or the other, if you wish) into the filter box. Just pull the bag out each time you clean the tank and swish it clean in the used fish water for the bags tend to collect a bit of yuck - and you want good flow through the bag. I have plenty of filters like that.