new Eheim filter

[sumarty2]

I have a question about a new filter I just got. I bought a Eheim filter for my 75 gal which is replacing an old Marineland. this Eheim has a bunch of layers and only a carbon pad that you are supposed to remove after 2 weeks. Since I am so used to my old carbon filter and changing it every month I am a bit confused as to how often to replace all the layers in my new Eheim. can I get some advice???

 

[evercl92]

You won't replace the other layers. It's media that remains in the filter, so that beneficial bacteria can populate.

Why again are you using carbon at all? I haven't used it in my tanks for years.

 

[kennef]

generally cannister filter use bio media to do biological filtration, with foam for the mechanical.
I use a fluval with the ceramic rings, and i just rinse them and the pads once a month or so. i dont use carbon, and had an extra tray for more biomedia, so i put some lava rocks in it because i had them lying around.

 

[sumarty2]

I guess I am old school.. I had the marineland canister filter for over 13 years with the carbon. I guess I need to step into the 21st century. so really you just rinse everything once a month?

 

[kennef]

yeah, pretty much thats what i do. carbon doesn't do much against anything that a fairly regular water change fixes, as someone on this forum said...

 

[evercl92]

The only real benefit of carbon is removing medication.

You really only need to clean the canister every 4-6 months. Mine seems to work better the dirtier it gets.

 

[QTOFFER]

I have both Eheim and Fluval cannister filters. I open them for cleaning only every six months or so. YMMV depending on your bioload. I keep BN plecos in all my tanks, probably the biggest poop generators in the FW aquarium. My filter is usually quite disgusting when I open it for cleaning.

The bottom layer of ceramic rings gets thoroughly rinsed in a bucket of tank water.
I gently rinse the upper layer of porous media in tank water. At every other cleaning, I replace about 1/3 of the porous media. I'm not even sure if this is really necessary, but I figure that the media must get clogged with fine debris over time, reducing the available surface area for bacteria to grow on. It's probably overkill on my part.
I replace the filter pad - it's too gross to even think about rinsing it, and they're cheap.

I don't bother with carbon. If your breeding fish, or keep demanding species that don't like dissolved organic compounds, carbon may be a good idea so long as it is replaced every week or two. Otherwise, it's only function is the removal of meds (which should ideally be used in a separate hospital tank anyway).