How often do you change your filter pad?

So mine is getting green after a little over a month. I don't know when I should change it or if.. How often are you supposed to change it? If I change it I should put the current one in the back media area of my HOB to help get the bacteria in the new one correct? I'm just planning ahead here.. I swished it in dirty tank water to get the heavy stuff off..

 

Every thing you poes as a question is correct but only change your filter when you have flow problems. Good luck

 

I wouldn't change it unless it's coming apart. You can clean it out by swishing it in dirty tank water to help with flow. I only change mine out once it starts disintegrating...which is usually after a year or so.

 

Only change your filter pad when it is in true danger of falling apart. It helps to stick the new pad in with the old one so that it'll seed it before you have to replace the old one.

 

Perfect! Those are exactly the reaponses I needed. I wasn't sure if that was a myth or not lol. Thanks!

 

Perfect! Those are exactly the reaponses I needed. I wasn't sure if that was a myth or not lol. Thanks!

Real good advice from everyone. If your HOB can fit 2 pads, why not put in 2 pads that way you have a lot more filtering, and could clean 1 pad at a time.

 

It only fits 1 pad, but has a huge open space in the back. So I can theoretically put the pad in the back.

Aqueon quietflow 30

 

If the theoretical pad get flow, and dose not mess up the main filter flow, "why not"

 

I have thought about using it for other forma of filter media but haven't decided what would be best. Its a HUGE space.

 

I like ceramic rings!

 

Ceramic rings/matrix for the win

 

I like ceramic rings!

Do I just add them to that extra media space?

 

put them in a mesh bag.

 

you can buy filter bags/mesh bags on amazon fairly cheap.

 

My tank has 2 cartridges. I change 1 every 2 week's. You may not want to if your tank has been set up for less than a year.

 

Yeah it has only been cycled for about 3 weeks. So its young still.

Edit: it fully cycled- then its been 3 weeks since then.

 

Yeah it has only been cycled for about 3 weeks. So its young still.

Edit: it fully cycled- then its been 3 weeks since then.

You should just rinse and reuse the old 1 for a wile so you don't loose your cycle.

 

That's what I wanted to check. My first tank I changed it every few months, but I passed it on to a family member.. I wanted to make sure I did this one the best way possible

 

If you test your parameters, that will let you know.

 

I agree with tyguy7760 and Lchi87
There is no need to change a filter pad/cartridge unless it is ready to fall apart. You can scrub them off with your fingers in a bucket of tank water (not tap water) every couple weeks to keep it from getting clogged. But there is no need to replace it with a new one unless it is falling apart.

In my opinion it is a big waste of money to put in a new cartridge every couple weeks. It is really not necessary.

And when you do decide that the current pad is getting ready to need replacing, just do like Lchi87 suggested and put the new one behind the old one for a couple weeks. But again, you shouldn't have to even think about doing that until the current one is falling apart.

 

If you test your parameters, that will let you know.

I'm sorry, know what? I test an I'm 0, 0 and nitrates are below 20. Will it change when my filter starts crapping out? Is that what you mean?

 

I'm sorry, know what? I test an I'm 0, 0 and nitrates are below 20. Will it change when my filter starts crapping out? Is that what you mean?

No I'm just saying your parameters will let you know if your cycled and if you loose your cycle.
As far a weather or not to throw media away: the only 2 reasons not to is 1you will loose your cycle.2 it's too expensive. I've never lost my cycle . It cost me 36 bucks a year to replace replace 1 cartridge every 2 week's. Some filter cartridges, however are ridiculously expensive.

 

I've actually washed out my filter media in tap water under the sink before. No ill effects. Though I wouldn't recommend doing it unless you can get it in some primed/dechlorinated water fairly quickly.

 

I've actually washed out my filter media in tap water under the sink before. No ill effects. Though I wouldn't recommend doing it unless you can get it in some primed/dechlorinated water fairly quickly.

I keep 5-10 gals of dechlorinated water. And then I have a 1liter top off bottle. Every weekend I use about 5 gals for cycling give or take as needed and then start a new batch of tap water treating through the week. I'm stocked up on it. I just rinsed it in the tank water I take out at water changes atm.

 

So I got some ceramic rings and a bag. I filled the bottom of the bag after rinsing and wrapped the bacg around it to make it kind of like a tube shape. I then stuffed it into this big deep empty space on the back left making sure to put it deep enough so not to mess up the flow. This should be fine, right?

 

I never change the cartridge. I have a sponge on the intake, so I usually just rinse that

 

I have thought about using it for other forma of filter media but haven't decided what would be best. Its a HUGE space.

I'm trying out fluval bio-max bio media myself.

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Yeah, I don't know how much they will help, but as I mentioned earlier I got some ceramic rings and rolled the excess vag around itself to make a tube and shoved it down the extra space in the back of my HOB. The idea is to build good bacteria.. this not only will help the tank but when I need to change out my filter pad in the future it should go smoother adapting the new pad to bio with the rings present.

 

Yeah, I don't know how much they will help, but as I mentioned earlier I got some ceramic rings and rolled the excess vag around itself to make a tube and shoved it down the extra space in the back of my HOB. The idea is to build good bacteria.. this not only will help the tank but when I need to change out my filter pad in the future it should go smoother adapting the new pad to bio with the rings present.

Yeah I now have room for two filter pads but before yesterday I had the same problem as you I could only fit one filter pad into my filter since I had the top fin 20 power filter. As of yesterday I'm running a Marine land Penguin 200 Power Filter which has spaces for two pads.?But I know how it is to only be able to run one pad.


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Yeah I now have room for two filter pads but before yesterday I had the same problem as you I could only fit one filter pad into my filter since I had the top fin 20 power filter. As of yesterday I'm running a Marine land Penguin 200 Power Filter which has spaces for two pads.?But I know how it is to only be able to run one pad.

it isn't something I thought about when purchasing.. so as people mentioned previously in this thread- I am going to run it until it is close to failing then replace it. I MIGHT have room to stuff it down below the new one. there is a ridiculous about of space back there not being used lol.

you can kind of see in this picture my bag of ceramic rings lol. its fills that whole empty space on the left.

 

You could just cut the MESH from your old pad and stick it down into the back of your filter for a month that should allow you to build up beneficial bacteria on the new pad so you don't throw yourself into a major minI cycle you'll still likely go into a small one but it won't be as bad.

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You could just cut the MESH from your old pad and stick it down into the back of your filter for a month that should allow you to build up beneficial bacteria on the new pad so you don't throw yourself into a major minI cycle you'll still likely go into a small one but it won't be as bad.

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That will probably be the plan. I'm hoping this one lasts until the new year lol. we will see.

 

You can just put a bunch of filter floss in the filter and it will be much better than the original pad I have filter floss and biomax in my HOB filters