When to change filter media?

[Seasick Sausage]

Hello to you all,
Now i've joined AA expect a lot of questions from me, i hope some of you will throw some answers my and they will be much appreciated.
I'm pretty new to this aquarium stuff so please excuse me if my questions sound a bit dumb its just i want to try and get everything right with my tank.
So here's my first question. How often should i replace my filter media. I have all my filter stuff in the hood, bio-balls, ceramic rings, activated carbon and filter foam. I know the carbon needs changing every couple of months but what about the filter foam. The place i got it from sell complete replacement packs that it says get every 3 months but wont i lose all my good bacteria in the rings and stuff or is it all in the water by a month or so and doesn't matter about changing all the media.
Thanks in advance for replys.

 

[Mrs.h2012]

Even though the boxes and fish stores tell you to change it, NEVER change it. That's where BB (beneficial bacteria) colonize. You remove the media and you take the BB with it.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

You won't ever need to replace the biomedia bag. The sponge maybe every few years (when its falling apart) and the carbon every month. If it where me I'd replace the carbon with biomedia or more sponge. Carbon isn't needed in a healthy tank so replacing it monthly is a waste if time IMO.

To clean just swish in a bucket of tank water to remove the build up of waste. By doing it this way you are preserving as much of the good bacteria as possible.

 

[Seasick Sausage]

Oh right,thanks for the replies, so basically except for the carbon don't change anything until its falling apart. Why do you not have carbon in the tank? I thought it took away impurities in the water.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

It's good for removing things like medications. Carbon helps with the removal of tannins and with smell, but tannin is harmless and a healthy clean tank won't smell. I've never used it and I never will.