I Want To Fix My Filter.

I have a simple HOB Filter that holds a charcoal pad as a filter media... I've been told that I should get a biological media as well for it. Which! I am currently researching. Anyways, on 10/11, I did a water change. Today, I found a fish dead in my tank ( ) . This isn't usually normal for me, however my tank is overstocked (and I am currently looking for a new fish tank for them as well) and about three weeks ago another fish of mine had died. I have a 20 gallon with now, 9 tetras. 3 Glowlights, 3 Neon, and 3 black.

Due to the dead fish I found, I took a look at my charcoal cartridge and found that it was REALLY dirty! So, I discussed it with my dad a bit and he threw it out and I popped in a new one.

Now, I'm worried. I've heard about cleaning your filter and doing a water change in the same 3 day span to be disrupting the nitrogen cycle!! I didn't want to rinse off the filter pad with tap water or anything due to... it seeming like a bad idea. So should I have just rinsed it with tank water instead and popped it back in?

So does putting in a new charcoal cartridge have the same effect as cleaning it out and getting rid of the helpful bacteria and disrupting the nitrogen cycle?! Or... am I just overthinking this?

 

Rinse the filter cartridge in tank water, if you do a complete replacement there goes your cycle. If that filter floss is getting real old and falling apart, stuff the old floss in the bottom of the filter. The beneficial Bactria mainly resides in the filter floss.

 

Another thing to note, while I was watching a video on the topic a moment ago, was that I actually have a bio-wheel in my filter. Apparently that stores beneficial bacteria which allows you to be able to toss the cartridge? Or.. is that false?

Also, the new filter cartridge or the old one? (The old one I unfortunately threw away already but I can probably fish it out and rinse it? o-o )

 

Is that by chance a Marineland kit?

 

Not a kit per say, but the cartridges are Marineland and the filter is Marineland Biolwheel 150

 

Penguin 150 I have the same one I bought as a kit from PetSmart. Being that the big box store is all I have for an lfs. I purchased a bag of fluval bio rings in a mesh bag and a small box of filter sponge meant for the fluval 06 series. I removed the stock cartridge dropped the bag of bio rings in there and cut a chunk of the sponge roughly the size of the stock cartridge and put that on top. The bio wheel so long as it is spinning will provide surface area for some beneficial bacteria. That’s how I hotroded my penguin 150

 

I assume you're talking about the penguin 150. If so I filled up mine with bio rings and aquaclear 20 sponges. I also put a pre filter sponge on it. You shouldn't lose the cycle but if I remember reading correctly the bio wheel is roughly equal to a pre filter in bacteria wise so it's not a lot.

 

Glad to hear that we have similar ones, I'm definitely interested in the bio rings after doing some research. I've had the filter and the tank itself set up for a LONG time, so it's not really 'new'. However the bio wheel itself has been rinsed months ago in the tank water itself.

As stupid as this sounds, would it be okay to just leave the new one in there? Or, should I fish out the old one (which I just checked and isn't really infected with any garbage or anything) and just rinse it with some tank water.

 

For now, just leave the new cartridge on.

Eventually, you should do something similar to what SaltyPhone and bettabo1 advised. For $10, you can get some Fluval or Aquaclear sponges and a bag of Bio-Max for an Aquaclear refill, from either Petsmart or online.

This DIY mod will supercharge your little Pengiun 150. By doing so, you can tremendously increase both your mechanical and biological filtration. It will be a night and day difference with how well that Penguin 150 can filter.

I have done the same DIY mods to a Top Fin 20 Silentstream that I re-purposed to use on a 10 gallon quarantine tank. Works great!!

 

I definitely would not fish the filter cartridge out of the trash and put back in there lol the bio wheel should keep the cycle rolling. In addition to the filter media B.B. also cultivate every surface in the aquarium. Just monitor ammonia and Nitrites over the next couple days

 

Thanks for the help! I will monitor the ammonia and nitrates and look into getting some of those things on Amazon so I can boost the mechanical and biological filtration. Also, what do you mean by 'cultivating every surface in the aquarium?'

 

I think SaltyPhone was talking about how the beneficial bacteria can colonize on the different surfaces inside of the aquarium....

 

The beneficial bacteria grabs onto every surface it can. Gravel, inside tank walls, decorations etc. To that point when cleaning your tank don’t go crazy and clean every surface every time. Instead think of it in a few zones. Each week only clean one zone.

 

Oh! I see! My mistake, I'm still getting used to the terminology. Thanks!

 

Glad to hear that we have similar ones, I'm definitely interested in the bio rings after doing some research. I've had the filter and the tank itself set up for a LONG time, so it's not really 'new'. However the bio wheel itself has been rinsed months ago in the tank water itself.

As stupid as this sounds, would it be okay to just leave the new one in there? Or, should I fish out the old one (which I just checked and isn't really infected with any garbage or anything) and just rinse it with some tank water.

I would leave the new one in the front filter slot the get some aquaclear 20 or 30 sponges and bio rings to stuff behind the filter. After about a month cut the charcoal out of the filter and just keep re using it.

 

Prime time aquatics swears by those hobs and has a good videos on YouTube

 

Here is the link to the video

 

Cool video! That guy surely saved loads of cash that way, I actually just placed an order on Amazon for Fluval Biomax rings, Aquaclear Foam Inserts, and an Aquaclear Nylon Bag- thanks a lot for the help!

 

Get a sponge filter. I have a 20 high with a Penguin 150 HOB and a single sponge filter, my tank is way more overstocked than you and my cycle is great. I do 50% water change and gravel vac every Saturday. I have tons of live plants to help keep nitrites down.

I have a total of 18 tetra's between neons/long skirts, a bristlenose, and 2 dwarf gouramis. Had the tank for 7 months and my cycle hasn't broken and I haven't had any dead fish or aggression. It could very well come down to luck on my part but I think maybe your tank isn't cycled properly. Have you tested it? Keep the old cartridge in the filter and just go to Petsmart and buy either some bio rings to put in the bottom of the HOB filter you have, or sponges, or a combination of all of it.

 

A sponge filter? That sounds like it should work! I have a few pieces of driftwood to help with pH which unfortunately isn't looking as good as I want it despite my Thursday water changes. But wow, sounds like alot! I'm glad you have a system that works for you . I have some stuff coming in the mail tomorrow for my current filter, (bio-rings and sponges) - though if that doesn't work? I could look into a sponge filter. As far as my tests, I use a Freshwater Master Test Kit. 0ppm Ammonia, 0ppm Nitrites, and about 5.0 ppm for the Nitrates. However, it's hard to tell if that was from my 'foolish stunt' from before or if it was like that originally, because I do recall my Nitrates being a bit uncomfortably orange previously. The little booklet says that I should keep it under 40 due to it being Freshwater. However, I do want it closer to 0 :/ . Maybe the unfortunately higher nitrates and pH are due to the overstocking- and not a filter that can handle them.

 

if you have 0 nitrites and 0 ammonia you're cycled. if you nitrates could be between 0_40. once they reach 40 do about a 50% water change and you should be good.

 

Awesome!! Thanks for the tips!

 

+1 on the sponge filter. I run one in all of my tanks just in case you need a filter for a spare or qt tank. If you don’t have live plants wc over 20 ppm Nitrates and live plants that’s a different story.

 

Sounds good! But what did you mean by your second sentence, there? Sorry ^^: