Changing out filter media

[rpgmomma8404]

My filter media in my 10 and 15 gallons are falling apart. Active carbon is falling out of them. How would I go about switching them out without having a mini cycle? The 15 gallon tank has two filters running on it but one of the filters I changed the media on a few weeks ago. I didn't have a mini cycle in the tank but the one I didn't switch is in pretty good shape. My 10 gallon only has one filter so that one I’m sort of worried about. Should I just get the active carbon out of the old filter media and just put in the thingy that holds the active carbon back into the filter with the new one? or is there another way? Any advice would be great.

 

[Old Scales]

Alternative filter media

What model of filter do you have? If there is room, put a filter pad in front of the old one for about a week to let the BB get on the new one. Then take out the old one. A MUCH cheaper alternative is to get some "cut your own" filter media. It can be the sheet type like you can buy at the petsmart/petco stores(I'll attached a picture of it) or get the non-treated polyester pillow filling at the fabric dept of Wal-Mart. Cheap and both types can be rinsed out in tank water and reused many times over. Unless you're removing meds, you don't really need the carbon. Good luck, OS.

 

[rpgmomma8404]

What model of filter do you have? If there is room, put a filter pad in front of the old one for about a week to let the BB get on the new one. Then take out the old one. A MUCH cheaper alternative is to get some "cut your own" filter media. It can be the sheet type like you can buy at the petsmart/petco stores(I'll attached a picture of it) or get the non-treated polyester pillow filling at the fabric dept of Wal-Mart. Cheap and both types can be rinsed out in tank water and reused many times over. Unless you're removing meds, you don't really need the carbon. Good luck, OS.

15 gallon I have a tetra whisper PF10 and a penn plex cascade 80

10 gallon just has a top fin 10 filter

 

[Grand1011]

Yea. Just cut some of the old filter pad up and place it behind a new filter pad. Shouldn't be a problem. I actually change the filter material in my 10 gallon without doing this and there is never a problem. Bacteria stick to every surface in the tank.

 

[rpgmomma8404]

Yea. Just cut some of the old filter pad up and place it behind a new filter pad. Shouldn't be a problem. I actually change the filter material in my 10 gallon without doing this and there is never a problem. Bacteria stick to every surface in the tank.

Yeah, that is what I'm going to do for now. I am thinking about doing what Old Scales say so I'm not spending money on buying new filter media every couple of months because it's falling a apart.

 

[Grand1011]

Activated carbon does help to remove organic material in the water which is helpful, although not required.