Replacing Filter Media

[ThomasG07]

How often should I replace the active carbon or white sponge component of my aquaclear filters if I should at all?

 

[George9]

How often should I replace the active carbon or white sponge component of my aquaclear filters if I should at all?

I wouldn't use the carbon at all unless removing meds. And just rinse the other media off with tank water every month or So and you should be good

 

[ThomasG07]

I wouldn't use the carbon at all unless removing meds. And just rinse the other media off with tank water every month or So and you should be good

What are the drawbacks to using the carbon?

 

[ThomasG07]

What are the drawbacks to using the carbon?

Also when I rinse off the sponges in old aquarium water, will squeezing them out get rid of my BB?

 

[Botanica]

Also when I rinse off the sponges in old aquarium water, will squeezing them out get rid of my BB?

No...the bb is stuck to the fibers of the sponge. If you were to rinse it in untreated non temp matched tap water...that would kill your bb. Using old tank water is easier than heating and treating tank water to wash them off in.

 

[jcolon]

What are the drawbacks to using the carbon?

Not really ... at least there's no drastic negative. It's just unnecessary unless your looking to remove meds. If your dosing Ferts, you generally don't want Carbon as it could pull in the nutrients, in some cases.

Carbon gets "exhausted" relatively quickly and then just ends up becoming part of the Bio-filter. Anywhere from 2weeks to a month so Carbon really does need constant replacing to keep chemical filtration. Not really worth the hassle. Keep some on hand should you ever need to remove Meds.

A nasty problem that could happen is if you have a drastic enough pH swing, all those impurities the carbon pulled in could be released back into the water. This could be a result of poor tank maintenance.
BUT I wouldn't worry ... any pH swing that drastic'll kill your stock first.