zizziz

from what i have read it seems that all your good bacteria is on the filter. you dont ever rinse it with tap water cause it kills all the good bacteria, even though the instructions say to do this... but aren't you supposed to change this filter about once a month? what happens to all of our good bacteria when we put a new filter in there? thanks

Alessa

most of the good bacteria present in your tank is in the filter. if you use tap water you kill it, if you throw the filter away... you get rid of the bacteria as well!

dont listen to the instructions... just swish it around some used tank water, put it back and you are ready to go!

zizziz

cool! but how long is that bag of charcol filter thing going to last?

Alessa

it should last like a month, but dont bother replacing it. it absorbs a lot but when it expires it releases all the nasty stuff in the water again.

Tavel

just don't use charcoal, you'll be better off in every way. I was skeptical at first too, but my tank's health improved when I removed the charcoal.

You can buffer against bacteria loss by using two cartridges or just dropping a cermaic bio media insert in. I have my filters STUFFED with bio-media, and I actually wash them off in tap water without any ill effects.

COBettaCouple

With most carbon, you're lucky if it holds out a week or so. We don't run it in any of our tanks.

Butterfly

Continue to rinse filter media in used tank water until it is ragged. When you have to put new filter media in retain a piece of the old filter media in the filter to seed the new stuff. I use sponges instead of cartridges and just rinse them out. They can last for years.
Carol

zizziz

ok, I see.

I bought a 26 gal kit with a filter/heater etc... I have a top fin power filter 30. I just bought "6 large filter cartridges" that say "chemical: activated carbon..." "change every 3-4 weeks..."

so now I feel like a real noob but, since it appears using these is NOT a good idae, what should I buy at the LFS or the dollar store to put in there instead. Butterfly suggests a sponge, you mean like the littles one you wash dishes with? LOL Learning is fun/embarassing....

BTW. are the terms charcol and carbon interchangeable or are they 2 completely different things?

Darlene

I'm wondering the same thing about the sponge, what is the best one for filtering.

Butterfly

This is what I use in some of my filters
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...6&pcatid=12736
This is what I use in others- not sponge but good. cut to size.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...31&pcatid=4231
Have used these the 20's and cut to size. doesn't matter they are for a canister. cut them and use in a HOB just as easily.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...fm?pcatid=3622
the sponges used for dishes usually are treated to prevent mildew and bacterial growth, not something you want in your tank
Carol

Darlene

Thanks for posting the links. I guess I will be off to petsmart, or the new petco tomorrow so I can start seeding this and get rid of what I have.

mrsmuffin

I have both the 1st and 2nd items in Carol's post, as well as bio-bags. My new Whisper filter came with a bio-bag and the bio-foam. Having the bio-foam in that tank, makes me feel better about changing out the filter media when the time comes. Of course, I have a little overkill in there at the time, I have a piece of filter media like the 2nd link in Carols post, then I have the bio-bag which I have been replacing the carbon in every couple of weeks but not the bag, then I have the bio-foam... I guess at the very least, I am prepared should MTS strike!

Butterfly

Mrsmuffin better prepared than not Many of the filters come with refillable bags with carbon(charcoal) in it. After a week or so the carbon isn't any good any more.what you can do is empty the carbon out and stuff it with floss. Floss can be bought at WalMart for a couple of dollars in the fabric department, it's used to stuff pillows and looks like white cotton candy. Just make sure it doesn't have any flame retardants or additives. this stuff will polish your water right up and make it crystal clear. rinse it and reuse or toss and refill the bag.
Carol

zizziz

ok so I am clear on this before I head out to the stores.....

Take out my filter bag, empty the carbon/charcol out, put it back (becasue the bag has all the bacteria on it)

go get me some blue bonded filter pads, cut to size, add it while leaving the original there just till the new filter can build up its own bacteria, then remove the bag. once in awile just rinse the blue bonded pad with tank water and put back...

or

get me some "floss" and fill up the bag with it for clear water etc....

why not have both a blue bonded filter pad that the water hits first, then keep a bag with floss it it for water clarity, or is that too much for the water to go through or the bacteria to do its thing?.....

Butterfly

all that sounds good. You will be able to tell if you get too much stuff in tthe filter, it will slow down how much flows out. The more stuff you have the more places you have for bacteria to grow
Carol

zizziz

Butterfly,

I went to the LFS and bought me the blue bonded pads, I have to cut it to size. The dir say to cut 2 sides, blue side out and fill with carbon.... Now since we just went over the fact that we dont use carbon, do you just stick the 2 sides in there blue side out without carbon or do you stick one in there. I assume that blue side out means the water hits the blue side first.

thanks

Butterfly

Just stick the two sides in there with blue side out. Yep water hits blue side first.
You got it
carol

zizziz

thanks!