filter cartridges

[nitrous]

i read somewhere that you should replace the cartridges in your tank every month. is this true, i kno i would lose most of the good bacteria but should i replace it?

[rich311k]

You rinse it out in old tank water and reuse it. I use mine until they fall apart. Why spend extra money?

[QTOFFER]

It's a marketing myth spread by the filter manufacturers. My Penguin Mini (100) filter cost $18. If I replaced the cartridge every month as they suggest, I would be spending an additional $22 a year - more than the price of a new filter. As Rich said, just rinse and reuse.

I do this every two weeks with my Penguin cartridges - they eventually fall apart in about three to four months. I don't concern myself with the carbon in the cartridge since I'm not medicating my tanks. The Penguins have biowheels, so when I replace the cartridge, I don't lose all my bacteria.

AquaClear filters are a bit more versatile since you can use sponge or filter floss - both can be rinsed and/or replaced in small quantities every month or whatever.

[Tiffi]

I never bought new filter material and I had none so far falling apart after a few month. All I ever did was rinsing the material and put it back in.

Qtoffer is right, it's absoulutely just a myth!

[RoK]

Unless you put medication in the tank and have carbon that sucked it up, you don't really need to change them. After awhile the carbon will release whatever it has sucked up so it's not good to have the same carbon in too long. Carbon can be pretty expensive and you don't even need to use it unless taking out meds.