Do I Need The Store Cartridge?

I have a 10 gal planted Have a topfin silent stream hob. I recently had a huge crash and lost fish so I added some media. I have regular filter floss/sponge a bag of bio rings and the old carbon/floss cartridge they sell for the filter. Can I take out the cartridge and add another regular sponge or should I replace with the new carbon cartridges I have.
P.s. When I do take the cartridge out I won’t even rinse the other media to save bb.

 

You do not need the store cartridge. What I would do is cut the filter floss off of the cartridge and throw the carbon and the plastic away. Put the floss in with your other media and then add whatever other media fits in the new space.

 

Your tank will crash again if you remove an established cartridge without letting the bacteria produce on something else. How long has the other media been in the filter?
Edit That post ^ works too.

 

Your tank will crash again if you remove an established cartridge without letting the bacteria produce on something else. How long has the other media been in the filter?
Edit That post ^ works too.

3 weeks or so and I’ve added lots of “live bacteria” from api.

 

3 weeks or so and I’ve added lots of “live bacteria” from api.

3 weeks should likely be sufficient for the bacteria to have colonized the new media. If you want to be super safe do what the other post said and cut the floss off and stuff it behind the new sponge or something.

 

3 weeks should likely be sufficient for the bacteria to have colonized the new media. If you want to be super safe do what the other post said and cut the floss off and stuff it behind the new sponge or something.

I just went ahead and changed it without rinsing the sponge or bio rings. I did have to take the rings out for approx 30-60 seconds. Bacteria can survive that right?

 

I just went ahead and changed it without rinsing the sponge or bio rings. I did have to take the rings out for approx 30-60 seconds. Bacteria can survive that right?

Yeah it is fine