Good cheap filter

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Extremely stupid question. Should I take the bottom off the filter and clean it even though I just put in a new cartridge to get seeded last night? Or should I wait a few days? I need to do a water change. I accidentally massively overfed yesterday (fasting today as a result) and so there is now a ton of fish poop everywhere. I was gonna clean the intake thing when I did a water change, but with just adding a new filter cartridge, I'm not sure I should right away.
 
I wouldn't clean the filter right away if you already did a thorough cleaning before adding the new filter stuff. Just do a vacuuming and water change. I have been guilty of over feeding myself.
 
I haven't cleaned the intake thing yet. I just put in the new cartridge. The outflow has slowed down, but I think that's from having more stuff packed in there. It's a tight fit. I might take the bioscrubber out and when I take the old cartridge out and put the sponge in also put the scrubber back. Or would this cause a worse recycle?
 
Take all the material out of the filter. If the sponge you are using is more than 1/2 inch thick, get a razor blade, knife, or you could use scissors and reduce the thickness to around 1/2 inch. It doesn't have to be perfect. Put the sponge back in first. Then put your new filter media. Next put your old filter media. If all of the old media won't fit, trim it down until you have some room behind everything for water movement. It will reduce your water flow and some may spill over the sides. If it is not too much I wouldn't worry about it. Take any old filter media you have left and put it behind the canister under water. Any bacteria on it should remain and some will get sucked into the filter and help reseed it. Wait a few weeks until your Nitrate starts to climb. Remove a little of the old filter media. Wait a week and remove some more until all the old is out. You should be good to go.
 
okapizebra said:
I don't think they are expensive filters.
Amazon.com: AquaClear 20 Power Filter - 110 V, UL Listed (Includes AquaClear 20 Carbon, AquaClear 20 Foam & AquaClear 20 BioMax): Pet Supplies
20 bucks on amazon with free shipping if you can spend 5 bucks more. I find that aqueon filters are okay filters, and half the price as well, but their filter pads are garbage. You can go with one of those but use whatever media you like. Aqueon 10 and aquaclear 20 both have the same GPH.
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Of course they are not expensive when they are in sale! Otherwise they are expensive.
 
Uncle Dirty said:
Of course they are not expensive when they are in sale! Otherwise they are expensive.
Click to expand...

I agree; while excellent and respected filters, the AquaClears are never the ones -- especially large models like the 110 -- I recommend to those looking to spend the least amount of dough on filtration...

Additionally -- I have to say I disagree wholeheartedly with oka, who you quoted in your reply, in regard to his/her assesment of Aqueon pads/cartridges being "garbage"...
 
Hey, we all have our opinions. :) I just find that for what you're getting, the price isn't worth it. I prefer to just stick in some sponge and some filter floss (and carbon only if I needed it) so that I wouldn't have to replace the pads, because IME they clogged really quickly and I found myself spending a lot of money replacing them. And I don't need to run any carbon either, and with the pads you don't get the option.

And in reply to Uncle Dirty, those prices on Amazon are the actual prices of aquaclears. They aren't on sale there.
 
okapizebra said:
Hey, we all have our opinions. :) I just find that for what you're getting, the price isn't worth it. I prefer to just stick in some sponge and some filter floss (and carbon only if I needed it) so that I wouldn't have to replace the pads, because IME they clogged really quickly and I found myself spending a lot of money replacing them. And I don't need to run any carbon either, and with the pads you don't get the option.

And in reply to Uncle Dirty, those prices on Amazon are the actual prices of aquaclears. They aren't on sale there.
Click to expand...

I totally respect and honor your opinion, and of course, yes, everyone is entitled to one -- that's why I merely respectfully disagreed...:)

But I see your point regarding the carbon and the impracticality, of sorts, with the cartridges...I just find these pads polish the water pretty well and keep it clean of debris, sucking in a lot of, for my setup at least, goldfish gunk as I like to call it...:blink::fish1:
 
I got the new cartridge in with the old one. I'll wait a week or two and then remove the old one and add the sponge. I don't have the option of removing the old little by little. I don't have a canister filter. The media in this style is just a cartridge. I'm doing what I read in other threads you're supposed to do when changing a cartridge. If its not right, I don't have much other options.
 
What I was saying was to cut the old cartridge to fit or make it smaller. I cut my old filter in half in my Whisper 10 when I replaced the filter. I then took the piece I cut off and stuck it between the Whisper 10 and tank wall. Just pushed it behind the filter so I wouldn't have to throw any of it away. All the filter media does is hold bacteria and any gunk that is floating around in the tank. You could just stick a big sponge in it and nothing else. It would serve the same purpose. I have found that the Whisper 10 internal filter doesn't filter very well any way. A lot of stuff settles to the bottom of the tank. It does circulate the water pretty well though. It is what I started out with. Later when you have a little money you could upgrade. Put a little back at a time until you have what you want to spend on one and then pick one. Truthfully I have found that all HOB work. Some are just more noisy than others. My Whisper 40 did a good job of cleaning the water. It was just so noisy I couldn't sleep, watch tv, or pretty much anything. You may purchase one and not have a noise issue. Or if you are satisfied with the internal filter don't worry about it. Just buy what filter media you can afford and use it. You don't have to purchase their cartridges if you save the plastic piece. Just wrap something around it and put it back in.
 
Cheap filters are not always the best

If I was you I would buy a filter you can get parts fast and easy for and not a filter you may need to order parts for and them taking 7 days to arrive for which time you will have no filter

Go to your local store and see what filters and spares they stock then come home and order that filter from the net

That said I like to buy hardware like filters and heaters from my local store yes they maybe a bit more Expensive but at least you know they will exchange it on the spot if you have a warranty issue
 
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