Question: How often do you change or replace the carbon in the filter bag and how often should I replace the whole bag and carbon filter combined. As I understand it the microorganisms that build up on that filter are partially why the tank stays the way it does....ie clean and free from ammonia....nitrites... .and nitrates. So in fear of ruining a good thing, I just don't want to not fix what isn't broke. Is there a timeframe at which these filters get changed. Thanks guys.
Hmm I hate filters with filter bags. I only use the one i have now cause it came with the aquarium i bought. What you should invest in is a multistage filter. like a aquaclear. here is my filter set up on my actual aquarium.
I have a sponge which gets the micro stuff out and on top of that has all that benifical bacteria growing in it. then 2nd stage is another sponge so i can get even more bacteria and then the last stage i have what is called bio max. to give an example of what bio max is, its basically porus rocks that can house alot more bacteria.
Thats why when you clean out your gravel, dont clean it all at once. clean like half or 2/3 of it. Cause the gravel houses the bacteria as well.
So yah the more bacteria you have the healthier your fish and tank will be.
But to anwser your question is it a single or does it use two filter bag?
If its a single its usually once a month but can push it to two. Basically what you do is take some tank water in a bucket and take the filter cartridge and clean it out good with that and reuse it for another month. You dont want to use tap water cause it can kill the bacteria you work hard to keep.
If you want to change out the filter cartridge the best thing i can recommend is before you throw the old one out is to put the cartridge in the tank for about 3 to 4 days. That way it can start accumulateing the bacteria. your tank will start a mini cycle but it will pick back up in a 3 to 7 days when you change the cartridge. in that time you will have to do water changed every day. Unless you have a test kit. Then you can just test the ammonia and nitRITES.
If your useing a dual same concept as the first. just remember to leave the cartridge in the tank to start accumulateing bacteria. I have been trying something new lately and just been changeing one side and rinsing the other and it seems to be fine as well.
Hope that helps
My bait tank fell through. I thought it was a clean tank, but the tank when opened had some oil residue in it...like....motor oil like residue. Anyone know of a way to clean a tank like that? If small ppm of chlorine will kill your bait I can't exactly have the tank look like and Exxon Valdiz episode in the tank.
hmm the pressure hose idea is good but alot of those car wash places shoot out soap and wax though the same nozzle and soap is just as bad as oil. The best thing i can think of is to take the dish soap and scrub it out good with that. and then take your garden hose to it and rinse it out till you cant see the soap anymore and then rinse it out some more to make sure its out. I used soap in my piranha tank that i got free and it had oil,and other car stuff in it when i got it and cleaned it out well like that and so far the fish look good. ive had them for 5 months now.
hope that helps
