Filters

[lawlessr]

Hi all just a quick question .Should i change all my 5 filter pads at the same time or should i change them one at a time ?Ihave a jewl 32gallon (120L) tank.

 

[CaptainAhab]

change in stages. I never change unless they are falling apart. Just a quick rinse in used tank water from your PWC and you're good to go.

 

[lawlessr]

Is that the best thing to do leave them till they are falling appart i was told in the shop to change my polly pad every water change and my carbon every 6 weeks and than the rest every 10 weeks or were they just telling me that to get me to spend money in the shop,sometimes i think they just want my money and not so worried about the quality of my fish and tank.

 

[CaptainAhab]

Carbon yes but the pads can just be rinsed out.

 

[gzeiger]

Read the article on cycling at the top of the Unhealthy Fish forum. Your tank NEEDS the bacteria that will develop in the filter pads. Changing out all of them at once is a recipe for disaster.

 

[jcarlilesiu]

I agree with everybody else.

Your filter pads mechanically filter large water born materials as well as provide biological filtration.

Rinse out the filter pads in used tank water to remove the large pieces of waste but don't replace them to keep the beneficial biological filtration capabilities.