How Do I Change Out My Filter?

[ChileRelleno]

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.

The AC is great because you can put almost any media in it's filter box, up, down sideways or dumped in haphazardly... As long as the water flows through the media, with minimal by pass, your golden.

What filter did this media come out of?

 

[MartinBlank]

It was an Aqueon 10. So a plastic frame with filter media on the outside and carbon on the inside.

I cut each side of the filter media away from the plastic frame, dumped all the carbon (and picked the left over pieces off), and then folded the two pieces up and stuffed it in the AC just above the sponge.

 

[Crepe]

Go with some porcelain chips or crushed lava rock in a stocking sock. It makes an awesome bio filter.

 

[CA_BroncoFan]

Also the plastic pot scrubbers

 

[ChileRelleno]

It was an Aqueon 10. So a plastic frame with filter media on the outside and carbon on the inside.

I cut each side of the filter media away from the plastic frame, dumped all the carbon (and picked the left over pieces off), and then folded the two pieces up and stuffed it in the AC just above the sponge.

Much less chance of a mini-cycle and new media will mature faster.
..........................................

Ya know what one of the best and cheapest bio-medias is? Nylon pot scrubbies.
And believe it or not, but filter floss/pads & sponges are excellent double duty mech/bio media... Think about it.

Bio tower running in the out flow of a AC300 in my turtle's tank, media, scrubbies!

 

[ChileRelleno]

Also the plastic pot scrubbers

beat me to it while I was pulling the pic up.

 

[CA_BroncoFan]

Interesting and creative set up chile..good stuff

 

[taylorodw]

By "scrubbies" are we talking sponges without the abrasive part? Or maybe more detail/clear shot of a scrubby? I need media soon but no reason not to change my purchase plan.

Informative thread!

 

[Crepe]

By "scrubbies" are we talking sponges without the abrasive part? Or maybe more detail/clear shot of a scrubby? I need media soon but no reason not to change my purchase plan.

Informative thread!

http://s.sears.com/is/image/Sears/0...op_sharpen=1&resMode=sharp&op_usm=0.9,0.5,0,0

These things.

 

[DragonFish71]

http://s.sears.com/is/image/Sears/0...op_sharpen=1&resMode=sharp&op_usm=0.9,0.5,0,0

These things.

Those are for humans. Those are the bath scrubbies some of us women like

These are the pot scrubbers:

PVC piping for Bio media - SimplyDiscus



I jsut set up an Ocean Clear filter using these, so far so good

 

[Crepe]

Those are for humans. Those are the bath scrubbies some of us women like

These are the pot scrubbers:

PVC piping for Bio media - SimplyDiscus



I jsut set up an Ocean Clear filter using these, so far so good

I read an article talking about using shower scrubbies in the filter. Not sure if I can find it though.

 

[DragonFish71]

Yeah, they would work, but not as good as the pot scrubbies. Some of those shower scrubbies come with scents "molded" into the plastics.

Is this the article?

Beginners Guide to Filter Media - MonsterFishKeepers.com

 

[Crepe]

Yeah, they would work, but not as good as the pot scrubbies. Some of those shower scrubbies come with scents "molded" into the plastics.

Is this the article?

Beginners Guide to Filter Media - MonsterFishKeepers.com

That's the one. In the end I would just get a box of siporax...but that's just lazy me. For a small tank a box will fill the bill for your HOB for $20. 1:10000 ratio is worth it imo. Volume:SA

 

[ChileRelleno]

http://s.sears.com/is/image/Sears/0...op_sharpen=1&resMode=sharp&op_usm=0.9,0.5,0,0

These things.

Nope, not those things, way less surface area compared to these.
Highest known surface area, for all media listed in MK article... Dang I haven't been on MK on a looooong time, I need to go visit.

 

[MartinBlank]

Back again.

Since the change I have been having greater problems with cloudy water. With the Aqueon 10 it would start to get a little cloudy, but once a week I would swish it out in PWC water and the tank would clear up again.

Well I switched to the AC 20 for a couple reasons. The main being that the adjustable flow rate appealled since this tank will eventually be holding a betta and some cardinal tetras, both of which are said to prefer slowing moving water (the Aqueon really pushed the betta around when he swam in its flow). The fact that AquaClears get such rave reviews around here certainly didn't hurt either.

Well its been 5 days and the water is cloudier than it has been in a long while. Full disclosure. When I was cutting out the filter media from the Aqueon's filter, I accidentally dropped the media directly in the tank and a massive cloud was created, I wasn't to worried at the time as I figured the AC would clear it up pretty quickly.

I have done a 25%, and 50% and another 25% water change in the 5 days since the change (to much?)

When I do water changes, the water does have a slightly green tint to it. I am also seeing some green in the sponge and biomax pellets in the AquaClear. I am not, however, getting algae build up on surfaces (or no worse than before, which has been very minor). With the water as cloudy as this, I would expect that my decorations would be getting covered, but the parapets on my castle are still a bright reddish orange

Also, yesterday, I did a PWC (25% or so), I squeezed out the sponge, and swished the filter media that had been in the Aqeon. And then at 8 PM I turned off the flights and covered the tank with a towel for total darkness. I left that towel on until 11 AM this morning. It is just as bad as it was over night.

I guess I am a bit concerned that perhaps I have a mini-cycle coming. Though I expect I would have seen Ammonia or Nitrites by now. I tested yesterday afternoon before the water change and that both came back 0.

So.. any ideas? Right now I am running the standard Sponge - A Carbon - Biomax pellets. Should I swap out the Carbon for a better mechanical filter? If so recommendations would be welcome.

I try to be extra careful with how I feed the fish. The tank is in our main family room so it does get quite a bit of light, but zero direct sunlight.