How often for new filters?

[Baddog671]

How often should you replace your filters? My aquarium is about 5 weeks old so I know not to touch them during cycling, but what about afterwards?

Since excess food and poop and everything else gets trapped in there, wouldn't it just decay and release ammonia back into the water?

I'm having a hard time trying to control my nitrite levels, and curious if it could be coming from the filter media?

 

[molliwopp]

Do you not have a pre filter or floss stopping large pieces of waste getting into the filter? The prefilter or floss can be washed whenever blocked.

As for sponges and other biomedia you shouldnt need to change or clean them very much at all if you have some form of prefiltration. I clean my media if flow is restricted. Dont be fooled into but new media every few months.

The nitrite you see is caused by the conversion of ammonia to nitrite. If your tank's cycled your nitrites should be being converted to nitrate. Excess waste in the prefilter can cause rises in nitrate(when cycled) but if your tank isnt cycled then yes. Also if the filter isnt adequate for your bioload then again yes, ammonia and nitrites can rise. It just sounds to me like youre still cycling.

 

[Fishperson]

If you mean filter pad, then you don't need to replace those unless they are seriously falling apart. You just put them in a bucket of old tank water (from a water change, perhaps), and swish it around a bit.

As far as poop releasing ammonia goes, it will really release ammonia anywhere. It is actually better to release it in the filter, because that is where the bacteria live.

 

[librarygirl]

Swish media around in old tank water during a water change about once a month to get the gunk off, then just put it back in. I haven't totally replaced filter media yet except for the filter floss and I've had my canister going for at least a year now probably.

 

[Baddog671]

I have a budget-friendly Tetra 30-60 HOB filter which circulates pretty nicely on my 19g tank. It has 2 media pads inside, 1 on right and 1 on left. It doesn't have a sock, but this is what the pick up looks like.

Currently my ammonia levels are very low, I usually get 0-.25 when I test. I used to battle high ammonia with daily 1/3 WC, but it fell out of existence and nitrite took over with vengeance. Prepare yourself for pictures ...

All of these vials are tested for nitrate, with the card as a reference and a white background.
#1 is the tap water I'm using, looks to be 0ppm.

#2 Thursday, 7pm, water in the tank before I did a big WC. I had been doing 1/3 WC each day for at least 3 days prior to this test, and yet the nitrite is closer to red than purple. Unable to read ppm.

#3 was after a big WC on Thursday around 8pm, atleast 2/3. Dropped to ~1ppm.

#4 Friday around 3pm, after an even bigger WC. Took fish out and removed no less than 3/4 of the water. Results....increased to 2-5ppm

 

[Fishperson]

I have a budget-friendly Tetra 30-60 HOB filter which circulates pretty nicely on my 19g tank. It has 2 media pads inside, 1 on right and 1 on left. It doesn't have a sock, but this is what the pick up looks like.

Currently my ammonia levels are very low, I usually get 0-.25 when I test. I used to battle high ammonia with daily 1/3 WC, but it fell out of existence and nitrite took over with vengeance. Prepare yourself for pictures ...

All of these vials are tested for nitrate, with the card as a reference and a white background.
#1 is the tap water I'm using, looks to be 0ppm.

#2 Thursday, 7pm, water in the tank before I did a big WC. I had been doing 1/3 WC each day for at least 3 days prior to this test, and yet the nitrite is closer to red than purple. Unable to read ppm.

#3 was after a big WC on Thursday around 8pm, atleast 2/3. Dropped to ~1ppm.

#4 Friday around 3pm, after an even bigger WC. Took fish out and removed no less than 3/4 of the water. Results....increased to 2-5ppm

Since they are purple, I assume you mean nitrIte?... Be careful, because they are really different!

And yeah, do water changes to get that at least under .5 ppm.

 

[Jmunroe]

Don't remove fish for water changes. Too much added stress. Even big water changes like 3/4. Unless there will be 0 water left in the tank no need to remove them.