Ph help - new tank

[kwandrsn]

I was using aqueon water conditioner. But I used the lady of it doing the pwc this morning.

 

[kwandrsn]

Sorry used the last of it. I can't type on this thing

 

[kwandrsn]

The woman at petco had me change my filter once it was a month old. Was I supposed to. She told me to change it every month

 

[Mrs.h2012]

The woman at petco had me change my filter once it was a month old. Was I supposed to. She told me to change it every month

NEVER change your filter cartridge. That's where the BB live, if you take it out, your BB go with it, and that's not a good thing at all.

 

[kwandrsn]

The carbon or whatever was in it was almost gone. They said to change it once a month

 

[Mrs.h2012]

The carbon or whatever was in it was almost gone. They said to change it once a month

You asked if you were supposed to change it. Your answer is your not supposed to. Usually it's best to not listen to anything petco says. Especially about changing your filter cartridge. Do you know about cycling a tank?

 

[kwandrsn]

Its an aqueon quiet flow 10 hang on filter. The manual says to change it but not to clean the plastic piece it snaps into. They call it the bio-holster

 

[kwandrsn]

Diagram from box

 

[kwandrsn]

My tank is cycling now.

 

[kwandrsn]

Do I need to leave the new one in and never change it. Just rinse it off from time to time

 

[Mrs.h2012]

My tank is cycling now.

Like I said before, DO NOT change the cartridge out. I know it says too but you do not need too. Since you know about cycling you must know that the whole point of cycling is to build up beneficial bacteria (BB). Majority of the BB colonized on and in the filter media (the cartridge and floss that you put inside the filter), you change the cartridge and your BB goes away and your right back at day one cycling and have erased all of your progress you've made in cycling thus far.

 

[Mrs.h2012]

Do I need to leave the new one in and never change it. Just rinse it off from time to time

All you need to do when it gets all gunky and nasty looking is swish it around in a bucket of OLD tank water, that's all you should do to your filter cartridge. Only change it when it's falling apart, even then you need to run the new cartridge with the old one for a couple weeks so the BB can seed over. NEVER rinse your cartridge with tap water, that will kill all the BB.

 

[kwandrsn]

Ok thanks guess I messed up. what about the carbon that is inside the filter. Just don't worry about it? Wish I would have known that before I bought a 12 pack of cartridges.

 

[rider6]

Man that sucks, sorry for your loss, I lost 2 guppies when I first started my tank but those were 1 buck petsmart guppies... nothing too cool...

 

[fort384]

There is no reason to run activated carbon unless you are removing meds in a FW tank. Even then the carbon that comes in these preloaded filters is junk and likely is effective for about 72 hours. The grade of carbon makes a tremendous difference and the preloaded filters use garbage bituminous carbon that is the cheapest they can find.
It is a gimmick and they tell you to change it for 1 reason : so you buy more

I haven't ran activated carbon in a freshwater tank ever. My tanks do ok.

 

[kwandrsn]

Ok I understand. I was thinking the carbon was needed

 

[kwandrsn]

If the filter starts to fall apart what do I do. Rinse new one under water.the put it in and stick the old one in the water reservoir behind the new filter?

 

[kwandrsn]

Well my nitrites are still showing up and ammonia is staying down so I don't think I stalled the cycle did I

 

[fort384]

Nah, you won't stall it by doing water changes. I know it stinks you lost a fish, but so long as you condition the water and match the temperature reasonably close, it is the best thing you can do for your fish.

 

[fort384]

If the filter starts to fall apart what do I do. Rinse new one under water.the put it in and stick the old one in the water reservoir behind the new filter?

Yes, that is correct.