Filter change?

[kyle89]

Yeah it dose grow on the gravel and such but I was always told the filter is the main place. I would rather be safe than sorry and save money rather than changing a filter monthly.

[waterdog]

Originally Posted by kyle89

Yeah it dose grow on the gravel and such but I was always told the filter is the main place. I would rather be safe than sorry and save money rather than changing a filter monthly.

Well now you've been told differently!

[kyle89]

Yeah lol :) I still don't plan on changing my filter monthly. I would rather open my filter bag and add carbon as needed. Filters are not cheap and mine looks fine after its first month of use.

[Tikibirds]

The bacteria will grow on anything in the tank but most is in the filter.
Some filters like marineland penguins have a biowheel that never gets replaced and the aquaclear filters have seperate components that can be removed. Unless you are totally scrubbing your tank and all things in it, you should always have BB growing it it assuming it is cycled. Weather removing the cartridge will crash the cycle - I don't know- I have always been told that it will and that is why you should never throw out the cartridge. It may depend on the amount of stuff you hav inside the tank as well.? Live plants also play a part - if you have any.

Carbon lasts about a month but IMO, its not needed. If the water smells, then you have a problem someplace - maybe a broken heater or you need to do more water changes. In my tanks, what I do is skip the cartridge completly and stuff it with aquaclear foam. It will last alot longer then the cartridge - just swish it in old tank water every so often. I have aqueon quietflow and tetra internal filters. I also stick some foam at the outflow to baffle it a bite more

[Tikibirds]

I will admit that carbon does work wonders at odor removal. Without carbon, my snail tank REEKS after 2-3 days with no water change

[slug61]

So, its been 4 weeks with the carbon filter..
Should i add some sponge into the filter area to grow some BB,
and then replace the carbon filter?

[Otterfun]

Originally Posted by waterdog

I usually never do this, but in this case I feel I must. There is absolutely NO consensus among fish owners about carbon. The camps are, and possibly always will be, split.
Carbon does much more than simply remove medications. It also removes chloramines man puts in water as well as helps removes odors from water. Example; RO units always have a carbon filter.
Not saying either opinion is right or wrong, but let's not be definative when offering opinions.
I have always used carbon in all my tanks as I believe the benefits are worth the small expense.

I have to say without my carbon filter in my SPEC V did cause the water to smell more sulferish (from PRIME) and fishy (from my shrimps) , if I am correct, I think carbon also removes odor.

also tekkguy mentioned that if you leave the carbon in the filter too lng, e.g. months, the bad stuff that it filters out will leech back into the water.

IIRC, 2.5g MBT manual says 4-6 weeks for replacement.

[Otterfun]

Originally Posted by Tikibirds

I will admit that carbon does work wonders at odor removal. Without carbon, my snail tank REEKS after 2-3 days with no water change

+1