I have a Tetra canister-type filter with activated carbon. It's in a 10g brackish tank with about 5 gallons of water in it. I've heard two things regarding changing the biofilter. Some say it should be done once a month while others say it should not be changed because that's where the biggest part of the bacteria colony resides. I've had this filter running for 2 months and it's come to the point where I cannot simply rinse it with water and put it back. Also, I had to replace the activated carbon in it because it started releasing ammonia and nitrates back into the tank. The tank has been completely cycled for two weeks now.
Here's my question. How should I go about replacing the filter media? Do I just put the new one in, or if I do this will I run the risk of triggering another cycle?
Here's what I actually did. I simply dressed the old filter media into the sleeve of a new one. I'm going to let it run this way to give the bacteria colony a chance to inhabit the new filter. After a week I plan on simply discarding the old media and keeping the new one. Is this a good way of going about things? Is a week enough time for the new filter to develop it's own colony and keep the tank from cycling again?
Thoughts? Advice? How do YOU go about replacing your activated carbon filter media?
Here's my question. How should I go about replacing the filter media? Do I just put the new one in, or if I do this will I run the risk of triggering another cycle?
Here's what I actually did. I simply dressed the old filter media into the sleeve of a new one. I'm going to let it run this way to give the bacteria colony a chance to inhabit the new filter. After a week I plan on simply discarding the old media and keeping the new one. Is this a good way of going about things? Is a week enough time for the new filter to develop it's own colony and keep the tank from cycling again?
Thoughts? Advice? How do YOU go about replacing your activated carbon filter media?
