MissMTS

Last night I came home to find the white gravel in my 29 gallon tank covered in brown crud. It just looked like waste particles. I checked my filter cartridge and the cartridge was filthy and full of dirt. I tried rinsing the cartridge with aquarium water and it didn't help, so I just put in a new cartridge. The wierd thing is that I changed the cartridge 2 weeks ago. Is it normal to go throught them that quickly I have a whisper filter on all of my tanks and this one is the only one that seems to be having that problem.

Trpimp147

i would suggest when doing a water change taking the filter and putting it in a bucket of water and using your hand brush off the old filter pad and shake it around. thats what i do.... and maybe you'll need to upgrade to a larger filter assy.

jsalemi

You may have hit it on the head, T -- the filter might be just a bit too small for the size tank it's in. May be worth stepping it up to the next size. And while you're at it, replace the whisper with an AquaClear or Penguin filter -- you'll be glad you did.

Trpimp147

yup i think thats what it is... and you can just call me thomas or tom or trp.... haha the name is just one i have been using since i was like 14 i should change it... but then no one would know me then

john&jen

my vote is for the aquaclear. hands down. I have a 50 in my 29.

COBettaCouple

We have a lot of Whisper filters and they have done a good job, we only had 1 die on us, but it could be underpowered for the tank, as suggested, or sometimes they just crud up real quick.

We just recently ordered a couple of the Marineland Penquin Bio-Wheel filters and not only do you get the Bio-Wheel but a little more GPH for the buck.

Trpimp147

i have a marineland emporer 400 and a marineland penquin bio-wheel 350 on my 75 gal and there both a dream.... i need to clean both of them tho lately i have been to bizy to touch em.... both are bio wheels and both are great for me whats nice is the bio wheel holds alot bio bact. and when i change my filter media it doesnt realy go through a mini cycle.

COBettaCouple

I like how our Penquin Bio-Wheel has 2 spots for filter media so we can put extra sponge or floss in it.

MissMTS

Thanks for all of the good imput. I think that I will switch out the filter on my other 29 gallon as well because it is more heavily stocked right now and could probably use the better filter system. I just had the whisper filter because it came as a kit. I know absolutely nothing about all of this stuff

Trpimp147

the marineland penguin 350 is for a 75 gal tank. and that will be as least double filteration of the tank...

MissMTS

That all sounds good. It's okay to put extra filtration on a tank right?

COBettaCouple

As long as the fish are happy, that's fine to have extra over the 10gph per gallon that I consider minimum.

Trpimp147

my tank is just now getting over filtered i didnt know the 10gph per gallon thing.. to i had to buy another filter and i have a power head and thats 280 gph but it doesnt filter any thing sooooo i dont know if that counts..?? does that count in the 10gph per gall thinger

MissMTS

When a tank gets overfiltered, does the good bacteria start getting filtered out?

COBettaCouple

Are you talking about your 75g tank? If it's got at least 750gph, then I think you've got good filtration and with those 2 filters, you've got 750gph.
I'm not sure that you can 'over-filter', but you could get too much current for the fish with enough filtration.

MissMTS

If I change filters I am afraid that I am going to get rid of all of the good bacteria in my tank. I am at the last stage of cycling, so I really don't want to mess up the levels again. Any suggestions as to how I can do this without hurting my fish and screwing up my tank?

COBettaCouple

A majority of the good bacteria is in the filter media and your substrate. You can put the filter sponge(s) and filter floss from your old filter either in your new filter or put them in a pantyhose sock and hang it in the tank.

MissMTS

Great Thanks!

COBettaCouple

If you have the room, you can run both at the same time, but if not, that will help minimize the impact to the cycle - expect a small temporary setback, but it should bounce back pretty quick as the bacteria moves to colonize the new filter.