Filter Media

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squidsquiggle

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Sep 10, 2011
Messages
70
Location
Oklahoma
Every time I think I've got it figured out, I learn something new. I'm trying to grow plants, and somehow only just learned that not only is carbon probably not helping, but isn't really necessary, anyway.

I have 2 Marineland Penguin biowheel 200 filters and a Tetra Whisper 40. The cartridges are fairly old anyway, and the carbon is unlikely to still be effective. If I were to cut open (or in the tetra's case, pop the top off of) the filter cartridges and dump out the carbon, what would you all suggest I replace it with, if anything? Should I just cram as much stuff in the media slots as can fit, or will that upset anything?

What if I had, first to last: a nylon pot scrubber/sponge, filter media sans carbon (maybe stuffed with a filter pad?), bag of polyester fiberfill, biowheel.

I just want to make sure my main tank will be sufficiently filtered, without having to replace the whole thing. It's a 36 gal with the two Penguins and is currently the home of one ryukin goldfish and several low-light plants. I do weekly water changes and rinse out the filters in aquarium water every couple of weeks.

Thanks in advance!
 
I think lots of keepers use ceramic rings. If you choose that route, be sure to establish your rings in your tank before you dump your other media or you might mini cycle.
 
I think lots of keepers use ceramic rings. If you choose that route, be sure to establish your rings in your tank before you dump your other media or you might mini cycle.
I'll look into the rings, thanks. I wasn't planning on dumping all of my media, just the carbon inside. Would the rest of the cartridge surfaces plus the bio wheels not be enough to prevent a mini cycle?
 
I'm not a. Fish pro so it's hard to say. I know that I've swapped out media and had good/bad luck so I've played it safe since. i'd just stuff a sock or something full of ceramic, drop it the tank for a week+ and then once it's established, pull your old media.
Again I'm no pro so seek professional fish counsel.
 
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