filter cartridges - Aquarium Advice

nitrous · 12-10-2005, 10:39 AM

i read somewhere that you should replace the cartridges in your tank every month. is this true, i kno i would lose most of the good bacteria but should i replace it?

rich311k · 12-10-2005, 10:53 AM

You rinse it out in old tank water and reuse it. I use mine until they fall apart. Why spend extra money?

**QTOFFER** · 12-10-2005, 11:21 AM

It's a marketing myth spread by the filter manufacturers. My Penguin Mini (100) filter cost $18. If I replaced the cartridge every month as they suggest, I would be spending an additional $22 a year - more than the price of a new filter.

As Rich said, just rinse and reuse.

I do this every two weeks with my Penguin cartridges - they eventually fall apart in about three to four months. I don't concern myself with the carbon in the cartridge since I'm not medicating my tanks. The Penguins have biowheels, so when I replace the cartridge, I don't lose all my bacteria.

AquaClear filters are a bit more versatile since you can use sponge or filter floss - both can be rinsed and/or replaced in small quantities every month or whatever.

Tiffi · 12-10-2005, 01:54 PM

I never bought new filter material and I had none so far falling apart after a few month. All I ever did was rinsing the material and put it back in.

Qtoffer is right, it's absoulutely just a myth!

RoK · 12-11-2005, 03:55 AM

Unless you put medication in the tank and have carbon that sucked it up, you don't really need to change them. After awhile the carbon will release whatever it has sucked up so it's not good to have the same carbon in too long. Carbon can be pretty expensive and you don't even need to use it unless taking out meds.

12-10-2005, 10:39 AM	#1
nitrous Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: chicago ridge, illinois Posts: 801 Images: 6	filter cartridges i read somewhere that you should replace the cartridges in your tank every month. is this true, i kno i would lose most of the good bacteria but should i replace it? __________________ 20 [acronym="Gallon"]gal[/acronym]-plants and 2 red zebra chiclids 15 [acronym="Gallon"]gal[/acronym]- shark tank 36 [acronym="Gallon"]gal[/acronym]-3 yellow labs 3 red zebra 1 jewel/plants

12-10-2005, 01:54 PM	#4
Tiffi Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: first ST-Germany, now TN-USA Posts: 1,052 Images: 19	I never bought new filter material and I had none so far falling apart after a few month. All I ever did was rinsing the material and put it back in. Qtoffer is right, it's absoulutely just a myth! __________________ Some time ago in Germany: 2x 15gal tank, 45gal heavily planted Now: 70gal FW, 130W CF, driftwood, black gravel/laterite/flourish tabs/pool filter sand, pressurised CO2, power reactor, 200W = 250W heater, Fluval 304, Eheim prefilter; pH 7, kH 5, gH 9, CO2 ~20mg/l Plants: Cryptocoryne beckettii, wendtii "red", Giant Vals, Nymphaea lotus "zenkeri", Anubias nana "petite", Echinodorus "ozelot", Dwarf Sag, Hygrophila polysperma, Rotala rotundifolia, Limnophila sessiliflora Fishes: 2 Mikrogeophagus ramirezi, Endlers, 4 Otocinclus vittatus, 1pair Pelvicachromis pulcher, 5 Corydoras panda

12-11-2005, 03:55 AM	#5
RoK Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Connecticut Posts: 2,224 Images: 11	Unless you put medication in the tank and have carbon that sucked it up, you don't really need to change them. After awhile the carbon will release whatever it has sucked up so it's not good to have the same carbon in too long. Carbon can be pretty expensive and you don't even need to use it unless taking out meds. __________________ Current fish (includes all 8 running tanks): Gouramis, polypterids, SA cichlids, convicts, rainbows, plecos, loaches, ACFs, a platy, tetra, & a Ctenopoma

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12-10-2005, 10:53 AM	#2
rich311k Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 8,851 Images: 35	You rinse it out in old tank water and reuse it. I use mine until they fall apart. Why spend extra money?

12-10-2005, 11:21 AM	#3
QTOFFER Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Kew Gardens, NY Posts: 3,686 Images: 30	It's a marketing myth spread by the filter manufacturers. My Penguin Mini (100) filter cost $18. If I replaced the cartridge every month as they suggest, I would be spending an additional $22 a year - more than the price of a new filter. As Rich said, just rinse and reuse. I do this every two weeks with my Penguin cartridges - they eventually fall apart in about three to four months. I don't concern myself with the carbon in the cartridge since I'm not medicating my tanks. The Penguins have biowheels, so when I replace the cartridge, I don't lose all my bacteria. AquaClear filters are a bit more versatile since you can use sponge or filter floss - both can be rinsed and/or replaced in small quantities every month or whatever.