How Do I Change Out My Filter?

[Twoapennything]

How do I change out my filter without disrupting the good bacteria and throwing the tank into a cycle? The filter is filthy - I've never changed it or done anything to it. The color of my tank's water is milky - it hasn't been clear in weeks (I'm dealing with a separate algae issue, which I'm handling with AA help) Should I change out the pad and put a section of the old filter pad on top of the new filter pad? I'm concerned about the good bacteria. Please advise!

 

[dkpate]

Just swish it in old tank water, and rub it a little with your hand. You will probably have some junk shoot out when you turn the filter back on though.

 

[ChileRelleno]

I fill a couple of buckets with dechlorinated water, then vigorously knead and rinse sponges & padding till they're clean, my bio media ( Seachem Matrix) I dump into the bucket and stir around and then rinse.

You're not going to scrub away the beneficial bacteria, get it clean.

I then rinse out the filter box, wipe the spill way/spray bar, then pull the impeller, check/clean it and clean the impeller well.

I don't use carbon, except to remove the very rare medication.

I don't replace sponges/padding till they start to fall apart.
Bio media about every six months, I figure enough of the porosity is gone by then to warrant the costs.

 

[BillD]

I have been using the same bio rings for years. If they were to ever get dirty enough to be a concern, I would soak them in bleach to clean them. I have to agree with everything said by ChileRelleno about cleaning the elements. Clean them well.

 

[Twoapennything]

I am so effin' frustrated. So I cleaned my filter pad, and now the filter itself won't work. It won't draw up any water and is making loud clanging noises. I swear, I cannot turn off a filter EVER, because it never works when I try and turn it back on. I've been through four filters for my ten gallon tanks.

Anyhow, I did take apart the impeller and gave everything a really good cleaning, and it's still not working. So now I get to figure out how to keep my fish alive until tomorrow after five, when I can get to Petsmart, and because I have a Marineland Eclipse, it's going to mean I'll have to buy a hood plus a filter - not cheap. GRRR.

I'm trying not to be gloomy, but I feel like this hobby is expensive and exhausting, with little to show for it except ick, algae, and fish that just die. I want to feel this hobby is a joyful one again . . . maybe it's just been a bad week for me as far as fish go.

Yay - cycling with fish :|

 

[mgamer20o0]

what 4 filters did you buy for it? i know it might sound stupid but did you make sure to fill the filter back up with water?

 

[dkpate]

Did you pour water into the filter when you restarted it?

 

[mgamer20o0]

beat you too it.... ha.

 

[dkpate]

LOL

 

[Twoapennything]

No, it's not a dumb question! Yes, I did add water (numerous times!) to the filter once I put it back into the filter trough.

I bought a new hood - another Marineland, as it was all Petsmart had, plus an Aqueon filter. It'll do for now. I can actually order the parts for my Eclipse 3 and they're surprisingly inexpensive, so I think I'll do that. I just couldn't wait for 10 days for the parts to come in.

 

[logansmomma1228]

I am so effin' frustrated. So I cleaned my filter pad, and now the filter itself won't work. It won't draw up any water and is making loud clanging noises. I swear, I cannot turn off a filter EVER, because it never works when I try and turn it back on. I've been through four filters for my ten gallon tanks.

I'm trying not to be gloomy, but I feel like this hobby is expensive and exhausting, with little to show for it except ick, algae, and fish that just die. I want to feel this hobby is a joyful one again . . . maybe it's just been a bad week for me as far as fish go.

Yay - cycling with fish :|

I know how you feel with this. I am also having multiple filter issues (on and off) and it is indeed very frustrating. How long have you had the old filter for? maybe you could take it back or take it to a good LFS that might be able to help you? If you can get it fixed you can get your money back somehow maybe...

 

[Twoapennything]

I meant an Aqua Clear filter, not Aqueon.

 

[ChileRelleno]

Congrats! You just bought the best HOB filter on the market.

As long as you bought a large enough AC for your tank/bioload, then don't bother fixing the E3

Nah, more is always better, if parts are so inexpensive, fix it and run both.

Don't bother with carbon in the AC, double sponges is the way to go.
They excel as both mech/bio media.
Or split one sponge in half lengthwise and lay the AC bio media pouch atop the sponges.

 

[Twoapennything]

I know how you feel with this. I am also having multiple filter issues (on and off) and it is indeed very frustrating. How long have you had the old filter for? maybe you could take it back or take it to a good LFS that might be able to help you? If you can get it fixed you can get your money back somehow maybe...

Thanks, Lacey, for always having a supportive word I've had the old filter for well over six months, so I don't think that Petsmart will take it back at this point. I don't know if they even sell the (Marineland) Eclipse series anymore, as I got mine on clearance. My LFS is really great - they're also twice as expensive :/ I found a cheap hood and bought an Aqua Clear filter, so at least there's something keeping the tank from completely imploding. I recently have gotten reacquainted with a high school friend, and what do you know - he keeps fish! Poor guy, I've been sending question after question. So far his advice has been excellent regarding the algae problem in particular (today I bought 8 otoclinicus (sp?) catfish to help with the algae problem). Anyway, as for my old hood, I think I might send away for the replacement parts. I like the look of the hood itself.

I'm going to give you some reputation points, because you are always so kind - it's much appreciated! What you said to me when Lady died was really nice.

 

[Twoapennything]

Congrats! You just bought the best HOB filter on the market.

As long as you bought a large enough AC for your tank/bioload, then don't bother fixing the E3

Nah, more is always better, if parts are so inexpensive, fix it and run both.

Don't bother with carbon in the AC, double sponges is the way to go.
They excel as both mech/bio media.
Or split one sponge in half lengthwise and lay the AC bio media pouch atop the sponges.

Here's what I did. And it may be that it was a fruitless idea and won't work at all, but I did it anyway. Last night when it became clear that I would have to get a new filter and hood, I took the biowheel and the filter pad/carbon cartridge and placed them both in a bucket of tank water and covered the bucket tightly with Glad press-n-seal wrap and sealed everything in. Then, tonight, I put in the sponge, the filter portion of my old filter that I cut away from the carbon frame, and then the bio media pouch. I have no idea if the good bacteria survived overnight, but I have always read that having a piece of media filter from an established tank is the best way to go. I used this technique with my ten gallon tank and it cycled SUPER quickly - in like ten days or something. That tank also had an Aqua Clear filter, so that's why I was hoping it would work for my big tank.

I also didn't want to use carbon because I'm using Maracyn for blue/green algae. I've read that you shouldn't use carbon or charcoal when medicating because the filter just catches the medications.

I've heard Seachem's Purigen is good for filtering, too.

 

[MartinBlank]

Sorry to hijack but my question is related.

I just swapped out the filter that came with my tank (10g) with an AC 20. The media in my old filter will in no way fit into the AC.

So I took the old filter and put it in the bottom of my tank (a fake plant is holding it down). Think I still need to be concerned about a mini-cycle?

 

[ChileRelleno]

Sorry to hijack but my question is related.

I just swapped out the filter that came with my tank (10g) with an AC 20. The media in my old filter will in no way fit into the AC.

So I took the old filter and put it in the bottom of my tank (a fake plant is holding it down). Think I still need to be concerned about a mini-cycle?

Yes, since the water doesn't circulate around this media as well as in a filter.

Why couldn't it be made to fit?
If it is a cartridge, cut it open, cut/fold media to fit.

 

[CA_BroncoFan]

Sorry to hijack but my question is related.

I just swapped out the filter that came with my tank (10g) with an AC 20. The media in my old filter will in no way fit into the AC.

So I took the old filter and put it in the bottom of my tank (a fake plant is holding it down). Think I still need to be concerned about a mini-cycle?

You may have a mini cycle but that's really not a huge problem. Be sure to swish it around in the tank once a day.

 

[MartinBlank]

More because the in the AC is designed that the media fits horizontally in the filter (as you know), while this filter media was made to go in vertically (top to bottom). I will see what I can do.

 

[CA_BroncoFan]

More because the in the AC is designed that the media fits horizontally in the filter (as you know), while this filter media was made to go in vertically (top to bottom). I will see what I can do.

I had to do the same thing. I went from a vertical to horizontal. I just cut the seeded one into pieces that fit in the ac50