Changing HOB Filters

I have Whisper Power 30 HOB filters on my tanks. There is a floss filter you can put stuff in, and a foam filter that sits behind it (closest to where the water flows back in the tank). I rarely rinse out the foam. I rinse the first filter in tank water during water changes, and then put it back in. When it is at the falling apart stage, I replace it with new and change out the carbon. What I've been doing is when I completely replace the filter, I take the old one and stuff it in the filter housing to help reseed the bacteria, but I never know how long to keep it there. Does anyone else do this? How long does it take to re-seed a new Bio-Bag?

 

I let my cartridges/sponges seed in the filter for at least 4 weeks (haven't had to throw any filter cartridges/sponges away yet, but I seed cartridges/sponges for instantly cycling new tanks). I haven't had any cycle issues with this length of time.

 

Thanks. That helps. I've not kept mine in that long. Oftentimes the water backlogs and spills over the intake tube after a short amount of time. I'm guessing this is because the actual filters need to be cleaned out again or the old filter is truly just at the max saturation point. My thought is that once the water starts backing up into the tank, a portion of it is not really being filtered and at this point I usually throw the degrading floss out. This happens to me after a few days to a week of having the old filter floss thing stuck in the housing. Wondering if I'm getting rid of it too soon in my new tank, as I've had loads of problems with it even though it was pretty much instantly cycled by using media and gravel from an existing tank. The original tank? Pretty much perfect all the time. Thanks for your input.

 

I'd just rinse your pads out more thoroughly then, and don't throw them away. If your water is backlogging often, you may have too much in the filter.

 

How big is the foam behind the filter?

 

@....The foam thingy is about an inch wide. The filter cartridge is not quite so wide as the foam thingy. The way the HOB is configured, is that (if you are looking at the tank...facing the filter on the tank) the intake tube and propeller apparatus is on the right in a small 'box-y' area. The filter housing is on the left, and from the water flow up the intake through the housing (front to back then right side to left side)...there is the filter cartridge which you can add stuff to (i.e. carbon, ammo chips, crushed coral, etc) then in front of that is the foam filter, then the outbound water into the tank. There is about an inch and a quarter space between the back of the filter housing and the filter cartridge.....this is where I stuff the old filter. I'd post a picture, but I'm hating Apple right now because El Capitan doesn't play nice like Snow Leopard did and I can't seem to do it anymore..... On a completely unrelated side note...anyone else use an iMac with El Capitan OS that can help me post pics on the forum again????

 

I have an established 36 gallon bowfront which I've been running a 200gph penguin bio wheel filter on. Today my filter just up and died, the motor stopped running. My LFS doesn't carry marineland products and I'm hours away from another option. So I purchased a 200 gph aquaclear 50. It looks like a nice system but I don't want to lose my cycle, should I cut up the bio wheel material and insert it into the basket on the new filter? What about the cartridge sponge/mechanical filter media as well? Or will one or the other suffice? I think I'll like the new HOB as it's much quieter than the bio wheel.

 

Cut up all of the blue (grey?) covering on the cartridge from the Penguin and put it in the new AquaClear, maybe on top of or between the sponges. You can also cut up the biowheel and put it there too, as many of the bacterial colonies are on that media. The more you can seed the new filter, the less you will disrupt your cycle.

If your aqua clear has an extra media bag, you can put the old material in that

 

Cut up all of the blue (grey?) covering on the cartridge from the Penguin and put it in the new AquaClear, maybe on top of or between the sponges. You can also cut up the biowheel and put it there too, as many of the bacterial colonies are on that media. The more you can seed the new filter, the less you will disrupt your cycle.

If your aqua clear has an extra media bag, you can put the old material in that

It does! I cut up and added the floss from the penguin, and I'll cut up the bio wheel as well, and add it to the bag with the bio pellets, do you think that'll be sufficient to keep the BB alive and seed the new media?

 

Use as much sponge and biomedia cut up as you can... They can all go into the biomax bag. Just don't let the media die.

 

As long as you keep it wet and transfer as much as you can (don't transfer any carbon), it should seed it well. Good luck!

 

Perfect, thanks guys. I cut up the bio wheel into sections and placed one between each layer, as well as some around the intake u tube (in the water obviously) and I added the as much of the floss from the cartridge as I could get off the cartridge to the biomax bag along with the fresh bio pellet things. I luckily did have the presence of mind to float the cartridge and bio wheel while I was gone buying a new filter so it stayed wet.

I guess that's about all I can do, just keep testing things and ensure it's cycling all the way to nitrate right?

 

Perfect, thanks guys. I cut up the bio wheel into sections and placed one between each layer, as well as some around the intake u tube (in the water obviously) and I added the as much of the floss from the cartridge as I could get off the cartridge to the biomax bag along with the fresh bio pellet things. I luckily did have the presence of mind to float the cartridge and bio wheel while I was gone buying a new filter so it stayed wet.

I guess that's about all I can do, just keep testing things and ensure it's cycling all the way to nitrate right?

Honestly I would add stability, but that could be paranoia speaking. Sound like it should all work fine. Keep an eye on the wafer though.

This brings me back to why I used to run (and recently went back to) running two filters. One dies and the world does not end.

 

What is your stocking like and is it the only filter on your tank?

 

Honestly I would add stability, but that could be paranoia speaking. Sound like it should all work fine. Keep an eye on the wafer though.

This brings me back to why I used to run (and recently went back to) running two filters. One dies and the world does not end.

Maybe next pay period I'll pick up a second HOB seems smart to have a backup plan.

What is your stocking like and is it the only filter on your tank?

3 female mollies 1 male, 2 pineapple swordtails, 4 cories, 2 Amazon swords, hoping to plant it heavily now that I got my finnex planted+ light.

and yes it's the only filter, it's been keeping the tank pristine, I can only hope the new one will do as well

 

Yeah I would add a second filter.

 

Maybe next pay period I'll pick up a second HOB seems smart to have a backup plan.




3 female mollies 1 male, 2 pineapple swordtails, 4 cories, 2 Amazon swords, hoping to plant it heavily now that I got my finnex planted+ light.

and yes it's the only filter, it's been keeping the tank pristine, I can only hope the new one will do as well

What type of Mollies? Just wondering.

 

What type of Mollies? Just wondering.

Golden panda, they're a short fin variety, really cool little fish, super active and fun to watch.

 

I like to run sponge filters in addition to HOB filters. They provided added mechanical and biological filtration and are an added backup if/when` a filter quits. They are relatively inexpensive and can run on battery operated air stones when the power goes out

They do take up room in the tank and are kind of ugly, but they can be hidden by plants.

 

As long as you keep it wet and transfer as much as you can (don't transfer any carbon), it should seed it well. Good luck!

Why not the carbon?

 

Why not the carbon?

Because in the end old carbon is more dangerous than helpful. There are too many chances of leaking toxins back into an aquarium. Honestly, I don't run carbon unless there is a specific need.

I use dual HOB filters, one squeaker and one whisper... neither runs carbon of any type.

 

Because in the end old carbon is more dangerous than helpful. There are too many chances of leaking toxins back into an aquarium. Honestly, I don't run carbon unless there is a specific need.

I use dual HOB filters, one squeaker and one whisper... neither runs carbon of any type.

That seems to be the general consensus around here, though it does take extreme heat to force carbon to leach chemicals back into water

 

Interesting. I only use the carbon that is in the new pre packages media. Since I know we want to leave the BB I just rinse them once in a while leaving the old carbon in place. I have a seeded filter I'm using for a new tank this weekend (hopefully if I find 6 female bettas to move into their sorority). I suppose I will open that media and remove the old carbon.

 

That seems to be the general consensus around here, though it does take extreme heat to force carbon to leach chemicals back into water

Paranoia is catching lol.

 

The reason I suggested not using the carbon from the old cartridge is primarily to avoid having the carbon escape from the media bag and clog the impeller on the new filter.I also think it's difficult to move wet, loose carbon from a used cartridge and perhaps not worth it for the amount of bacteria that might reside there. Carbon is a hassle when it escapes!

I personally don't use carbon, so I didn't consider the leaching aspect

 

Yeah I would add a second filter.

Yeah, I'm with them. Redundancy is your best friend! I have a minimum of two filters but usually three running in any given tank. For example my 95 has a canister, undergravel, and an HOB. If one of the pumps quit I've more than enough to carry it through until I get it fixed. Over the years this has happened more than once & I've been glad to have the extras! It takes time to get it all in place as none of us are made of money (wouldn't that be nice! but it's definitely worth the peace of mind!

 

Yeah, I'm with them. Redundancy is your best friend! I have a minimum of two filters but usually three running in any given tank. For example my 95 has a canister, undergravel, and an HOB. If one of the pumps quit I've more than enough to carry it through until I get it fixed. Over the years this has happened more than once & I've been glad to have the extras! It takes time to get it all in place as none of us are made of money (wouldn't that be nice! but it's definitely worth the peace of mind!

I'm definitely picking up another next week! I have budgeted myself on my new hobby, because if I don't I'll have multiple billion gallon tanks with sharks with laser beams attached to their heads. Having bought a new LED planted light and a HOB this week, I may have gone over budget a bit for the week. Whoops, I doubt you guys will judge me though, I've seen some elaborate setups here.

 

Been where you are now so I have multiple filters, hob and canister, on my larger tanks. hob plus sponge and corner filters that are run with an air pump on smaller tanks. Plus I keep a couple qt and fry tanks going/cycled that I can pull filter off if needed.
Nothing like having a filter go out to send you into a frenzy to get back up and running that inspires future preparedness, lol.

 

Speaking of redundancy I got a powerhead in today and as I don't have an undergravel in this tank I decided to make a homemade overflow filter. We also got an old HOB working (the bio-wheels are on the way) so the sponge filter is gone.


It's not the prettiest thing but it's functional and this is just a temp tank till we get the big guy up and running !