switching out carbon/biological filter affected?

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MDDad

Aquarium Advice Activist
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Sep 5, 2016
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Have to switch out my carbon insert in my Aqueon HOB filter, it's pretty delapitated and starting to 'fall apart'. It's my first time since adding fish that I'll have to change it. I did fishless cycling before adding fish, and so far my numbers have been good.

Will I see an ammonia/nitrite spike if/when I switch it out? I guess my question is, what % of my beneficial bacteria actually resides where Aqueon says it does (I think the "biological filter" is a blue plastic thing in there) vs. on the floss of the carbon insert? I have an Aqueon Quietflow.

I realize the bacteria live on pretty much all surfaces, but are a significant number going to be removed when I do this?

Sorry if my terminology is a bit off, but hopefully you get my drift.
 
Mine is falling apart too and I'll be dealing with this same issue. So, I'm hoping to be able to get an answer from this thread as well. Sorry I'm no help!
 
I can't seem to find anything definitive. I've seen it posted here and elsewhere that you can stick the new one and old one together in the slot, but the way this one is designed, it really doesn't fit in there.
 
I don't know for certain how much BB is on the insert you're talking about but I, personally, wouldn't worry about it too much. Most of the bacteria (from what I understand anyway) would be on that blue thing you were talking about which is indeed the biological filtration part of the filter. Or in the substrate of the tank itself possibly.

Honestly, I don't bother with carbon at all unless removing some medication.

If you are truly truly worried about harming your system when you remove it however, I would just keep an eye on your water parameters for a week or so for any ammonia spikes. If you see one then do a WC. If the BB is depleted some by removing it, they should recover quickly with a fresh surface to inhabit.
 
Don't worry about it. If you use another carbon insert it will keep things under control anyway. I typically use the double bonded blue pad in my HOBS. I don't use a lot of carbon unless removing meds, oops I let that tank get really dirty or I'm holding a good size number of fish in a way too small space. In my tanks I use API Sponge filters rated at 120 gal for biological and a box filter with marbles and floss to remove debris. The HOB gets passed aroud the fish room so each tank get it a few days per month.
 
So here's what I did this evening.

Took out the old carbon/floss insert and put the new one in.

Then, I tore off as much of the floss as I could off the old insert, and stuffed it down inside the filter. I couldn't fit it directly behind the cartridge, but I put it over to the side where the water flows over it before hitting & passing through the new cartridge and then dumping out into the tank. I figure that any bacteria still on the floss will be accessed here, and should still "function", as well as be close enough to the new insert to eventually colonize it.


I dosed up with Prime, just in case, as well.
 
I have a question. If I plan on changing my filter soon. Do you think sticking the new one in the back of the old filter and letting it soak in there for a few days will do anything to make this process smoother?
 
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