questjon about filter cartriges

[jseiverd]

I see that some people say never change filter cartriges untill its falling apart but when my stuff gets about 2 weeks old in my h.o.b.s they clog up and water comes out the top of filter...i know you dnt want to lose your bacteria but i also want my filter to allow water to pass... sooo what do you guys do

 

[Joey P]

What kind of filter do you have? I sort of have the same question. In one of my tanks I have a big Aqueon filter that uses two Large cartridges. I rinse them when I do water changes (in old tank water) and since I have two, I can swap one at a time when I need two.

OTOH, I have a tiny little tank that uses Small cartridges that get clogged up quickly and even rinsing them doesn't do much. I finally just lifted it up about a quarter or half an inch so water flows under it instead of over it. Some will still go through it and there's plenty of bacteria in the tank itself as well, so i think I'm okay.

 

[jseiverd]

I have the marinland 400 300 and 150.....some aqueon and aquaclears but yea same here i rinse with tank water and seems to help for a day or so and i have to do the same thing you said lift the thing up so id love to know wats better option new filter that water actually goes thru or old one with all its bacteria .....

 

[Aski247]

Shake them out in siphoned tank water, you should be doing this every week with your water changes anyways. If you have multiple filters on a tank, alternate weeks to which one you clean.

 

[jseiverd]

Ya already do that i just want to know if the bacteria outway alot less water actually going thru the thing

 

[Aski247]

I never hard that problem with my 350's or 400's. but I have finally switched them all out for 110's. and those sponges last forever.

 

[jseiverd]

Yea im tryna get another 110 but i did get a sponge filter for my tanks im hoping that holds enough bb

 

[shellieca]

When I had had an Aqueon on my 46g it was ridiculous with those cartridges & I ended switching to a Fluval canister. SOOOO much better. My smaller ranks had Top Fin HOBs & the cartridges fell apart quickly, I got rid of the cartridges & stuffed the filters with sponge, much better. You might look at modifying what media you have I your filters.