will changing your media make you "un cycle"?

[Tasha]

I was reading in anothe post that you shouldnt change your filter media until its almost falling part. true?

one of my filters is a all in one cartridgf for aqueon. I was told at the pet store if you dont switch it every 4-6wks the bad stuff the carbon has collected will get released back into the tank, so I would have to change the media in that filter? or is tha incorrect??

my other filter is a aqua clear 50,

please tell me what is the best way to replace cartridges, how often for each kind, does everyone use the carbon in the aqua clear? ive heard some dont even use it...

thanks

 

[Josh]

As long as you don't change them both at once you should be good. Rip up the physical media and stuff it into the back of the filter if you want. I run two filters on most of my tanks and just space their cleaning about 2 weeks apart to make sure the biological filter stays intact.

 

[RamCichlidLover]

The pet store is just trying to get you to buy more of their stuff.

 

[xxwolfpackof1xx]

crabon is unnecessary unless you need to remeove meds/tanniins i say cut the cartridge and dump the carbon and place cartridge back in as for changeing you heard right dont replace untill its fallin appart but do rinsr in pwc water every week or two. changein a cartridge wont make you cycle agian the bacteria livea everywhere in gravel on decor and plants. but to be safe try to stuff the new cartidge in with the old so the bacteria colonize the new and then thrw out the old one

 

[Tasha]

crabon is unnecessary unless you need to remeove meds/tanniins i say cut the cartridge and dump the carbon and place cartridge back in as for changeing you heard right dont replace untill its fallin appart but do rinsr in pwc water every week or two. changein a cartridge wont make you cycle agian the bacteria livea everywhere in gravel on decor and plants. but to be safe try to stuff the new cartidge in with the old so the bacteria colonize the new and then thrw out the old one

what is tanniins??

Thanks everyone for your advice!!!! those **** pet store people!!

 

[xxwolfpackof1xx]

what is tanniins??

Thanks everyone for your advice!!!! those **** pet store people!!

tannins occur from drift wood i dont kknow how to explin it all that well but tanniins occur naturally in driftwood and when submerged theyll leach out and tint the water some people like the look and they also naturally soften the ph

 

[MonsterfishGuy]

To be honest, the pet store and people here are the same, some are good and some are just bad adviser. Pet store( experience people) say That carbon is not useful exept for particular chemical removal, but if it stays there after it's full it will adsorb what it absorb before.

If your population is tight, just rinsing foam every 2 weeks CAN be enough to lower your cycle to a cloudy white water again.

I hate peaple who juge, because public forum CAN be worse than a pet store who has a name to lose...

Choose a person and stay with this one because he knows your stuff and mixing techniques of 2 or 3 differents person can be very bad for your tank.

Sorry for my mistake im french on an iphone who correct everything i write!!

Thanks

 

[Tasha]

I hate peaple who juge, because public forum CAN be worse than a pet store who has a name to lose...

I get what your saying, but having been through in the last few months BECAUSE of the the pet store, infestation of callamanus worms, just one of them, I do not hold much respect or trust for them right now at this point!!!

 

[Tasha]

tannins occur from drift wood i dont kknow how to explin it all that well but tanniins occur naturally in driftwood and when submerged theyll leach out and tint the water some people like the look and they also naturally soften the ph

oh ok, thanks

 

[xxwolfpackof1xx]

any time i love helpin

 

[Josh]

To be honest, the pet store and people here are the same, some are good and some are just bad adviser. Pet store( experience people) say That carbon is not useful exept for particular chemical removal, but if it stays there after it's full it will adsorb what it absorb before.

If your population is tight, just rinsing foam every 2 weeks CAN be enough to lower your cycle to a cloudy white water again.

I hate peaple who juge, because public forum CAN be worse than a pet store who has a name to lose...

Choose a person and stay with this one because he knows your stuff and mixing techniques of 2 or 3 differents person can be very bad for your tank.

Sorry for my mistake im french on an iphone who correct everything i write!!

Thanks

Most people here are speaking not from a sales person's perspective but from true experience. This is a passion for us, not simply a way to profit. Most of us have several tanks we have maintained for years, decades even.

As long as you rinse your filter media in tank water your biological filter will not be affected at all. If you rinse it in the sink the chlorine and chloramine in the water will kill all beneficial bacteria. If you're experiencing a cloudiness after a filter clean that is most likely due to physical debris being dislodged from the filter when removing your physical media.

 

[xxwolfpackof1xx]

Most people here are speaking not from a sales person's perspective but from true experience. This is a passion for us, not simply a way to profit. Most of us have several tanks we have maintained for years, decades even.

As long as you rinse your filter media in tank water your biological filter will not be affected at all. If you rinse it in the sink the chlorine and chloramine in the water will kill all beneficial bacteria. If you're experiencing a cloudiness after a filter clean that is most likely due to physical debris being dislodged from the filter when removing your physical media.

+1

 

[MonsterfishGuy]

Cartrige filter has no biological part except the foam itself but the major point is only: choose your advisor wisely... The Guy i deal with does not try to Rob me.

I have lots of aquarium and the bigger one does not have any commercial aquarium product, only home made so i know, it's only dont think That every store Want to sell just to sell Like not every thing say on public forum is right for your need.

 

[MonsterfishGuy]

Wood release humic acids with tannins, the humic acids lower the kh That lower pH with Time to.

 

[MonsterfishGuy]

. I was told at the pet store if you dont switch it every 4-6wks the bad stuff the carbon has collected will get released back into the tank,

thanks

That is true, so dont use if there is no need!!

 

[xxwolfpackof1xx]

if pre made cartridges are the only choice simply cut a slit ant remove the carbon then you only need to change the cartridge when its fallin appart

 

[Tasha]

Wood release humic acids with tannins, the humic acids lower the kh That lower pH with Time to.

Well that is really good to know. I have added some wood for my corydoras a few weeks ago.... I just happen to have really high ph as well. Tap water 8.2, and tank water 8.2 never moved at all. Now that spring is here I have one outside tap that is not softened so i'll allow it to warm up and try that, .... but maybe in time the wood will help out my ph as well.

 

[Tasha]

if pre made cartridges are the only choice simply cut a slit ant remove the carbon then you only need to change the cartridge when its fallin appart

thansk, ill do that.

 

[Shadowraven]

What you read about not replacing filter media until it is falling apart was correct, although that is referring to filter floss type of media and not a sponge. If using floss, save about 20% to "seed" the new material and maintain your biofilter.

A sponge will need to be cleaned out occasionally to remove any material that is clogging it up. As was said above use some tank water to rinse it out, but don't do it IN the aquarium.

As for carbon cartridges, they are not strictly a necessary part of your filter. You can usually easily do without using it. Some folks like to use them to reduce odors from the tank and to remove any other contaminants that occasionally enter the water column.

If you are using carbon in your filter, you will need to change it about every 2 months. If you don't the carbon will become saturated and stop absorbing contaminants from the water. Once that happens it will begin releasing them back into the tank.

Wood that hasn't had all the tannins leached from it can act as a buffer for your pH. It will continuously release them into the water bringing your pH down somewhat. How much they reduce it will depend on how much is left in the wood. Over time the tannins will eventually all leach out of the wood and it won't have this effect anymore. But that can take a while.