When should i change the filter media

[skiweeangel]

Right now I am running a marineland magnum pro with bio wheels on my 55g. So far I love it! Super quiet, never a problem. But Itonly came with charcoal and i want to swap out at least half of it with fluval biomax cylinders. Also I'm about to add two more fish, a tiger bard and a BN pleco on thursday. I was wondering two things

1) should I wait until a while after I add the fish to the tank and then switch the media or should I do it today.

2) Should I swap out more than half of the charcoal or is half good or is it what ever I see best for the tank?

Total tank stock now
7 gold long finned danios
5 tiger barbs

Total tank stock by weeks end
7 gold long finned danios
6 tiger barbs
1 BN pleco

 

[jcolon]

In all honesty ... the only time you should change the filter cartridges is when it's literally falling apart. If your tank is established/ cycled, there's really no need to change out the Carbon ... after awhile, it stops being a chemical filter and just becomes a part of the Bio-fliter like the biomax rings ... albeit with not as much surface area.

Yes you could remove the carbon and add the rings, but I'd say for now, save your $$$$ on the Biomax rings. Keep it the way it is ... even if you do add the rings ... BB grows depending on Bio-load and even though you are adding two more fish ... the bio-load increase should not be so overwhelming that bacteria need the extra surface area.

What I would recommend instead ... for now ... if getting 100% poly-fill and wrapping it around the cartridge for some extra mechanical filtration ... it really helps to polish off the water.

 

[jcolon]

1) should I wait until a while after I add the fish to the tank and then switch the media or should I do it today.


Total tank stock by weeks end
7 gold long finned danios
6 tiger barbs
1 BN pleco

Oppps .. forgot to answer your question on my first post ... If your still looking to swap out the carbon ... what I'd do is put the ceramic rings in a media bag and put it next to the filter cartridge so BB seeds the rings. Then in a week or two after you've added your new fish, remove the carbon from the cartridge and replace with the rings.

Hope this helps.

 

[siva]

Right now I am running a marineland magnum pro with bio wheels on my 55g. So far I love it! Super quiet, never a problem. But Itonly came with charcoal and i want to swap out at least half of it with fluval biomax cylinders. Also I'm about to add two more fish, a tiger bard and a BN pleco on thursday. I was wondering two things

1) should I wait until a while after I add the fish to the tank and then switch the media or should I do it today.

2) Should I swap out more than half of the charcoal or is half good or is it what ever I see best for the tank?

Total tank stock now
7 gold long finned danios
5 tiger barbs

Total tank stock by weeks end
7 gold long finned danios
6 tiger barbs
1 BN pleco

1. It really doesn't matter. I would do it right away.

2. It doesn't matter. You don't need to use any charcoal at all, so you can definitely eliminate it all right now and add a different type (and more beneficial) media like the cylinders.