I have a 46 gallon tank with a cascade 1000 filter. It came with the 3 baskets, 2 floss pads, coarse pad and carbon. We are still in the process of cycling with fish (dumb, I know but petsmart said it was ready). We put the carbon in without realizing you only need to use it to remove meds and stuff. I am going to disassemble this weekend and take out the carbon because been there almost a month and probably need to put in more biomedia? My question is what to stock it with and how often to change without messing up the cycle. Should I get rings? Is there something better? I believe I only rinse the pads in tank water but do they last forever? Thanks for the help!
question about filter media
- Thread starter Ram897
- Start date
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Seenboothy
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2012
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Hi take out the carbon and replace with a course don't worry bout cycling with fish I did same and not lost one yet just make sure you don't go spending lots invade you do lose them
christine2012
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I have the same filter and my media from bottom to top goes like this:
Floss
Bio rings
Floss
Bio rings
Sponge
Floss
Sponge
You only need to replace your floss/sponges when they are falling apart. Also, never change more than one media at a time.
Floss
Bio rings
Floss
Bio rings
Sponge
Floss
Sponge
You only need to replace your floss/sponges when they are falling apart. Also, never change more than one media at a time.
So do you have to change out the biorings? I will get more media this weekend. Thank you.
This is our first tank ever so we started with black molly's. They were $1 each and said "beginner"
and they are named alpha, beta, gamma, and delta which is the release of software. 
they sure are fun to watch though.
This is our first tank ever so we started with black molly's. They were $1 each and said "beginner"
and they are named alpha, beta, gamma, and delta which is the release of software. they sure are fun to watch though. 
Andrew McFadden
Aquarium Advice Addict
Rings you don't need to clean at least I don't
The floss you'll need to replace
The sponge you need to rinse in old tank water. What I do is drain my tank water (during a water change) into a bucket and stick the sponge into it and squeez it a few times
The floss you'll need to replace
The sponge you need to rinse in old tank water. What I do is drain my tank water (during a water change) into a bucket and stick the sponge into it and squeez it a few times
Last edited:
RussellC
Aquarium Advice Freak
Many fishkeepers do replace carbon with additional biomedia. That said, there are a couple of things to keep in mind.
Doing so will increase the long-term biofiltraion capacity of your aquarium, but will not speed the cycling process. Initially, the limiting factor is the bacteria's reproduction rate, not available media space.
Additionally, since the carbon is already in there, were it me, I'd wait until the tank is fully cycled before making the swap.
The reason is that bacteria will adhere themselves to just about any solid, underwater surface in your tank -- substrate, plants, decorations, filter media, and carbon bags.
Removing the carbon bags now might reduce your bacteria population a little and potentially prolong the cycling process a little bit. After the filter is established, the risk of this is less.
Once, I actually touched off a mini-cycle in my tank by replacing the carbon bags in my canister filter before the cycle was fully established.
Good luck!
Doing so will increase the long-term biofiltraion capacity of your aquarium, but will not speed the cycling process. Initially, the limiting factor is the bacteria's reproduction rate, not available media space.
Additionally, since the carbon is already in there, were it me, I'd wait until the tank is fully cycled before making the swap.
The reason is that bacteria will adhere themselves to just about any solid, underwater surface in your tank -- substrate, plants, decorations, filter media, and carbon bags.
Removing the carbon bags now might reduce your bacteria population a little and potentially prolong the cycling process a little bit. After the filter is established, the risk of this is less.
Once, I actually touched off a mini-cycle in my tank by replacing the carbon bags in my canister filter before the cycle was fully established.
Good luck!
RussellC
Aquarium Advice Freak
Ram897 said:
Yes.
According to what I have read it will lose effectiveness in weeks, but will do no harm. Carbon can leech impurities, but the swings in pH required for this to happen are not generally present in aquariums, and if they are, the pH swing itself will be the larger threat by a wide margin.
Leaving the carbon in that long should not be a problem.
Andrew McFadden
Aquarium Advice Addict
Ram897 said:
It will be fine you want to leave that in till your tank cycles it will have bacteria on it as stated above.
+1 I would leave the carbon in.
Thank you. I will be leaving the carbon in until the tank is cycled. Guess now I just need to know how full to fill my caacade 1000. Someone else who has my filter suggested 2 floss, coarse, 2 bioring bags. Do i have to leave a little space in the filter in case I have to put in carbon after a med treatment?
San Raphael Catfish
Aquarium Advice Freak
Hmmm. I know this is old, but I have questions. I have a Cascade 1000 in a WELL established tank with two 30/60 HOB filters. Running from top to bottom:
Floss Pad
Course pad
Floss pad
Bag of charcoal
Floss pad
Bag of charcoal
The course pad is a bio pad, and I only rinse it. I toss and replace all the floss and charcoal, and do changes about once every 4 months on the canister, and replace the C size filters on the 30/60 HOB filter as needed.
I am interested in trying new media ideas. Any luck with charcoal/zeolite mixes? Is there a big difference in ceramic bio media, that one brand is WAY preferable to another?
This part is new to me. When I started in aquariums, it was all undergravel filters baby! LOL!
SRC <><
Floss Pad
Course pad
Floss pad
Bag of charcoal
Floss pad
Bag of charcoal
The course pad is a bio pad, and I only rinse it. I toss and replace all the floss and charcoal, and do changes about once every 4 months on the canister, and replace the C size filters on the 30/60 HOB filter as needed.
I am interested in trying new media ideas. Any luck with charcoal/zeolite mixes? Is there a big difference in ceramic bio media, that one brand is WAY preferable to another?
This part is new to me. When I started in aquariums, it was all undergravel filters baby! LOL!
SRC <><
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