Do i have OCD???

[mfdrookie516]

Ok, gotta question for you guys... Im kind of wondering if im being OCD or if maybe im doing this wrong, not real sure... Its about filters. My filters never get dirty, the cartridges do, but i always take my filters off when i do a water change, keep the cartridge in a bucket of tank water, and thoroughly scrub the filter itself... it usually has just a little white line on the top where the water flows, im guessing calcium or hard water deposites... my question is should i be doing this? i ask because i have purchased a few filters used, and looked at several other tanks, and their filters are extremely nasty looking... they are covered in a white gunk and usually have green stuff all over them, im assuming thats algae... is it proper to clean them weekly/bi-weekly, or just let it go and build up gunk?

 

[kaiofcanada]

As long as you aren't using any chemicals and keeping your sponge filter with all the bacteria intact, scrubbing off the salts and gunk can't hurt.

Just NEVER use any chemicals and never rinse out your sponge/biological filter, or let it dry out while your cleaning everything.

It is a bit unneccessary, but it is fine so long as you keep your biofilter intact.

 

[partypalooza5]

I'm pretty sure keeping them looking new won't hurt them. I take mine apart and totally clean it every other time I replace the cartridge.

 

[mfdrookie516]

ok, yeah i NEVER use any chemicals around them... i always put the cartridges in a bucket of freshly drained water from the aquarium, sometimes if its real gunky i kind of shake off the gunk, i just wanted to make sure i wasnt doing anything that could cause negative effects on the aquarium... i cant stand the sight of "dirtyness" anywhere around my aquariums... i love having my canisters below my tanks all hidden, and of course i dont even have to mess with them because theres nothing to change out except the sponges once in a while... one question about the cartridges though... i have 2 whisper cartridges that have the abilty to change out the carbon in them... should i just take one cartridge out every 2 weeks, alternating of course one week apart for the other one, and rinse out the floss and change the carbon, or should i just completely change the cartridge?

 

[partypalooza5]

ok, yeah i NEVER use any chemicals around them... i always put the cartridges in a bucket of freshly drained water from the aquarium, sometimes if its real gunky i kind of shake off the gunk, i just wanted to make sure i wasnt doing anything that could cause negative effects on the aquarium... i cant stand the sight of "dirtyness" anywhere around my aquariums... i love having my canisters below my tanks all hidden, and of course i dont even have to mess with them because theres nothing to change out except the sponges once in a while... one question about the cartridges though... i have 2 whisper cartridges that have the abilty to change out the carbon in them... should i just take one cartridge out every 2 weeks, alternating of course one week apart for the other one, and rinse out the floss and change the carbon, or should i just completely change the cartridge?

I had a whisper filter, I just rinsed the floss and changed the carbon, just replace the floss when it gets too worn from rinsing and stuff.

 

[Ruadh]

You're doing a fine job looking after your tank.
Just for another $.02 worth, and to save you a little money.
There's no point in using a carbon filter unless you have some chemicals or meds you need to filter out.
The carbon only lasts 3-4 weeks and after that does nothing, it's not even descent as bio-filter media.
You're better off with polyester filter floss, which by the way, you can get at the sewing goods store or the local Wally Mart a lot cheaper. Just make sure it's untreated, as most is.

Oh and by the way, you are OCD, which leads to MTS, which leads to NSF if you're not careful.

Good luck
Rick

 

[partypalooza5]

Oh and by the way, you are OCD, which leads to MTS, which leads to NSF if you're not careful.

That doesn't sound good

 

[mfdrookie516]

ive already got mts... 6 55's a 30 and a 10, just started fish keeping in june when i moved out of my parents house lol... ive got it bad

 

[kaiofcanada]

That doesn't sound good

ive already got mts... 6 55's a 30 and a 10, just started fish keeping in june when i moved out of my parents house lol... ive got it bad

That can definitely lead to NSF . What are the breakdowns of your tanks...how many fresh and salt? and how often do you do water changes on them all. I envy your condition. The progression of your illness seemssuper fun.

 

[mfdrookie516]

they are all salt as of now... one has a jack dempsey, convict, and 30 or so babies between the two... one has 12 fairy cichlids, one has bala sharks and tin foil barbs, one is a community with guppies, mollies, tetras, platties, and cories, the 10 has a bunch of mollie and guppy fry, the rest are empty, fishwise... they are up and cycling, i may be selling one, and i may trade 2 for a 125 sw setup... not sure... needless to say, you cant look anywhere in my apartment without seeing a fish tank, but they all look in their place, none look cluttered or trashy or anything... i do a waterchange monday, tuesday, wednesday, thursday and friday... one day per tank... takes just a few minutes, totally worth it though...

 

[mfdrookie516]

now what is nsf?

 

[kaiofcanada]

non-sufficient funds ...at least for me hehehehe

 

[mfdrookie516]

oh... got that too... and i just noticed, i accidentally said salt instead of freshwater... wow, long day lol... i want to start up a sw, and i may just do that with one of my 55's (provided i find some money hidden somewhere lol) so ill probably have a horribly bare and hiddeous tank for a while, but oh well, we all start somewhere

 

[Ruadh]

non-sufficient funds ...at least for me hehehehe

Preexactly
Too, too easy

 

[partypalooza5]

DANG I'm defiantly suffering from NSF! D: