brianwestchest
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2012
- Messages
- 15
I think I have my two tanks stabilized now. I bought a water test kit and am testing regularly for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. Nitrates are in control. One tank is reading zero for ammonia and nitrites. The other is showing traces of ammonia and nitrites.
I have a question about water changes though. One tank is a 40 gallon tank with an AquaClear 50 filter- Biomax Rings, Charcoal Filter and the Sponge. When I do water changes should I rinse out the sponge in the tank water? How often should I change the sponge (if ever)? How often should I change the charcoal filter? How often should I change the Biomax rings? I've read you shouldn't change your filter media at the same time you're doing a water change because you could throw off the bacteria balance.
The 10 gallon tanks has an Aqua-Tech 5-15 filter with the all-in-one cartridge. Same questions. How often should I change that cartridge? And, should I try to do it when I haven't done a water change. The tank is still fairly new (two months old) and I recently traded in the Comet Goldfish I had in it for (4) Neon Tetras, (2) Mollies and (2) Amano Shrimp. I don't want to lose those guys so I've been doing water changes at least weekly on that tank until I'm sure it's stable.
I have a question about water changes though. One tank is a 40 gallon tank with an AquaClear 50 filter- Biomax Rings, Charcoal Filter and the Sponge. When I do water changes should I rinse out the sponge in the tank water? How often should I change the sponge (if ever)? How often should I change the charcoal filter? How often should I change the Biomax rings? I've read you shouldn't change your filter media at the same time you're doing a water change because you could throw off the bacteria balance.
The 10 gallon tanks has an Aqua-Tech 5-15 filter with the all-in-one cartridge. Same questions. How often should I change that cartridge? And, should I try to do it when I haven't done a water change. The tank is still fairly new (two months old) and I recently traded in the Comet Goldfish I had in it for (4) Neon Tetras, (2) Mollies and (2) Amano Shrimp. I don't want to lose those guys so I've been doing water changes at least weekly on that tank until I'm sure it's stable.