Wolfgang8810

my filter has a blue filter pad with AC in it and then that the water goes through and then after that there is a white its kinda like a sponge but loosley woven linda like a brillo pad but not metal. where do teh good bacteria grow? both? the white one? the blue one? would i have to recycle or minicycle if i replaced the blue one? sorry so many questions all i do is care about my little guys and girls.

lilsoccakid

the white sponge is where the bacteria grow, the blue filter with ac can be either washed with tank waer, of replaced completly as long as the sponge is still in the tank. you should be fine changing the blue pad just be carefull with the white sponge

Wolfgang8810

well thats alot off my mind loli shany mess with my white filter

griffin

they grow on both, but you should be fine if you only replace one at a time.

i usually cycle around when i change the filters. one time i'll change the white, next time is blue, etc

Isabella

A sponge in any filter is usually for mechanical filtration (removing floating debris from the water). But, the good bacteria grow on all surfaces, even on that sponge. Biological media provide most space for beneficial bacteria because they're designed with loads of tiny spaces inside them for the bacteria to live in these spaces. Biological media come in various forms, bio-cubes for example, and they should be never thrown away. I never throw away my bio-cubes, only sponges when they get too old and start literally falling apart. I only rinse my sponges continually. Sponges should also be kept as long as possible, CONTRARY to every filter manufacturer's recommendation to change them every month. This is purely to make money. When you throw away a good sponge that only needs to be rinsed, you're throwing away loads of nitrifying bacteria! Only the activated carbon/charcoal needs to be replaced every month as it becomes virtually ineffective just after 1 - 2 weeks of its use. Keeping it too long in your filter may cause the a/c to leach toxins back to the tank.

P.S. Of course, the sponge (and any filter media) should be rinsed in tank water only.

Trpimp147

on my filters this brown stuff builds up i think its poo i take it off or is it other stuff... its kinda smelly so i think its poo.

Isabella

It's everything, all dirt/particles and poo/fish wastes attaching itself to filter media and filter walls over time. That's why filter and filter media need to be rinsed regularly (only in tank water, as tap water will kill the beneficial bacteria!).

Luniyn

I think due to lack of a defined terminology for all these various parts, especially since every manufacturer calls the parts of their filter something else, the term "sponge" is a little too loose of a word to be used. I just want to be sure we are talking apples to apples here so there isn't any confusion. When speaking of Hang On Back (HOB) filters only, the filter pad (which can be blue, white, etc.) is the part that takes care of mechanical filtration and should be the first thing the water flow hits once it's pulled up the intake tube. This pad looks like a bunch of fine "floss" fibers woven together to make a pad or pouch and it is usually what holds the Activated Carbon (AC). Something along the lines of this photo. This is the one that should get the dirtiest and can either be replaced if you like, or simply rinsed out in tank water as was mentioned and re-used. The next in line should be the pad (or "sponge" if you like) that you mentioned Wolfgang8810, that looked kinda like a plastic brillo pad (check out this photo here). This is the Bio filter (bio-sponge, Bio-Foam, etc.) of your HOB filter (unless you have a Bio-Wheel or use a HOB that can handle other types of bio-media) and it is where the majority of your good bacteria should take up residence. It's too porous to be used as a mechanical filter and for good reason. If your bio filter is covered in dirt, grime, poo, etc. then there isn't room for the good stuff to take hold. So they made this pad have large holes in it so smaller particulate matter would just get blown off with the flow of the water. This one probably won't get all that dirty that you can see (as it should be) and doesn't need to be handled all that much (rinse it every now and then or when it appears to be dirty in tank water). In other words, leave it be and don't ever, ever squeeze water out of it or wring it dry as you would destroy the good bacteria by doing that. In fact try not to ever touch it with your fingers as I've read that there is something in the oils on our skin that harm the good bacteria.

Wolfgang8810

thanks that was helphul what about the filters that only have one cartrace with the ac like the wisper 3 gallon one i have in my 2.5 gallon tank? should i make something for bacteria to grow on?

Luniyn

I believe that the one you are talking about takes the "Medium" sized filters which some sites call "Junior" correct? If so I would highly recommend the Bio3 filter set shown here. That has a clamshell case that fits the slot where your single cartridge goes now but it has both the mechanical filter with AC in it plus a bio-sponge. In fact I use this filter plus the "brillo" pad like bio-filter in my Whisper 20 for extra space for the good bacteria to grow. For a cost saving and if you don't want to use AC in your tank, then you can just use the clamshell with the sponge and put a filter pad like this one that you cut to size. That pad will do the mechanical cleaning for you and is easy to wash out and reuse over and over again.

Wolfgang8810

this is what mine looks like it only has one thing you put in it.

Luniyn

Ok... well that one takes the small size and not the medium which is harder to find. According to PetSmart.com they sell a small version of the Bio3 but I think it's actually the medium size. If you have a PetSmart you could try looking there to see if it would fit. In this filter, the pad itself is supposed to be the bio-media as well, but that means that you can't change out the pad without causing a mini-cycle of your tank. Next time I stop by my PetSmart I'll take a look myself because now I'm curious myself .

Butterfly

Wolfgang8810 Since your filter uses teh small cartridges thats all you need. when it gets dirty rinse it good in used tank water. when you get ready to change it put a new cartridge in and part of the old one also for about a week then you can throw away the piece of the old one.
now if you don't want to be constantly buying cartridges you can replace it as described above but replace it with sponge. Sponges allow good bacteria to grow, last a long time and can very easily be rinsed out and put back in the filter. Sponges are just about all I use. All my bigger whisper and Aquaclear filters came with sponges.
Carol

Butterfly

i did some research and if this is your filter or similar then the gph is 20 that fighures out to 2x Thats not really enough circulation. Even on a ten gallon 10x is a good idea.
http://www.petco.com/product/13868/T...px#description
Carol

Wolfgang8810

the 3i filter is on a 2.5 gallon not 10 gallon although i do need a better filter for my 10 gallon im told.

Butterfly

ah sorry I misunderstood
Carol