Re: Question about filters...

[Dinky]

"Sarah" > wrote in message
om...
> I have a question about when I should change/clean my filter media. I
> have three 5 gallon tanks. Two of them have aquaclear mini filters
> while the third has a whisper filter.
>
> When do I need to clean the filter media? Also do I always need to
> have the charcoal in there?
>
> I know these are basic questions but I'd rather ask than just assume
> that I know the right answer.
>
> Sarah

These are good questions.

The most important thing your filter provides is biological filtration. When
you remove the media, much of the bacteria is lost, which may cause a spike
of ammonia, endangering your fish. It also provides mechanical filtration,
(removal of gunk).
Generally, you only need to change the media if the media is no longer
fuctioning. If it's just gunked up, you can rinse it off, (preferably in
water you just removed from the tank in a water change, so the chlorine
doesn't kill off your bacteria) and pop it back in.
Carbon (charcoal) only works for a few weeks, then can actually begin
re-depositing the impurities it was removing. For this reason, media with
carbon in it must be changed every month or so, YMMV.
As an aside, carbon isn't as useful as the companies that make it would like
you to believe. IME, it's only good for removing medications, and tannins
that make the water brown, like from a chunk of bogwood. I rarely use it. I
usually just gently rinse off the gunk, and replace it. I have been using
the same media in my Eheim canister since I bought it almost a year ago.
They're tough sponges and are holding up well.

hth
billy

[coelacanth]

But please note that you should NOT clean the biowheel, no
matter how gross it looks or how slowly it's spinning. It is the
platform for your biological filtration organisms. Do check
that is can spin freely and clean the little V notch it goes in.
If your filer motor can be opened, pull out the impellor
assembly and clean it and the hole it goes in (a bottle brush
helps here).

Sorry if you already know this, but you did say basic.

-coelacanth


"Dinky" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Sarah" > wrote in message
> om...
> > I have a question about when I should change/clean my filter media. I
> > have three 5 gallon tanks. Two of them have aquaclear mini filters
> > while the third has a whisper filter.
> >
> > When do I need to clean the filter media? Also do I always need to
> > have the charcoal in there?
> >
> > I know these are basic questions but I'd rather ask than just assume
> > that I know the right answer.
> >
> > Sarah
>
> These are good questions.
>
> The most important thing your filter provides is biological filtration. When
> you remove the media, much of the bacteria is lost, which may cause a spike
> of ammonia, endangering your fish. It also provides mechanical filtration,
> (removal of gunk).
> Generally, you only need to change the media if the media is no longer
> fuctioning. If it's just gunked up, you can rinse it off, (preferably in
> water you just removed from the tank in a water change, so the chlorine
> doesn't kill off your bacteria) and pop it back in.
> Carbon (charcoal) only works for a few weeks, then can actually begin
> re-depositing the impurities it was removing. For this reason, media with
> carbon in it must be changed every month or so, YMMV.
> As an aside, carbon isn't as useful as the companies that make it would like
> you to believe. IME, it's only good for removing medications, and tannins
> that make the water brown, like from a chunk of bogwood. I rarely use it. I
> usually just gently rinse off the gunk, and replace it. I have been using
> the same media in my Eheim canister since I bought it almost a year ago.
> They're tough sponges and are holding up well.
>
> hth
> billy
>
>

[Andre]

I use aquaclear filters on 3 of my tanks. I only use carbon when I need to
remove any medications or chemicals. I suggest to use 2 sponges instead of
a sponge and carbon combo and clean one sponge when the water flow starts
to slow down and to maintain bacterial levels, clean the other sponge the
next week or two. You can reduce filter cleaning time by doing more water
changes and feeding less more often. I don't mind cleaning the sponges but
beware of the smell. I clean them when my wife goes out for a few hours.
Andre

"Sarah" > wrote in message
om...
> I have a question about when I should change/clean my filter media. I
> have three 5 gallon tanks. Two of them have aquaclear mini filters
> while the third has a whisper filter.
>
> When do I need to clean the filter media? Also do I always need to
> have the charcoal in there?
>
> I know these are basic questions but I'd rather ask than just assume
> that I know the right answer.
>
> Sarah

[Racf]

I do not think so.....but you might have some sponges and I think that's
what he meant....

"Sarah" > wrote in message
om...
> Ummm...biowheel? Do I have one of those?
>
>
> "coelacanth" > wrote in message
>...
> > But please note that you should NOT clean the biowheel, no
> > matter how gross it looks or how slowly it's spinning. It is the
> > platform for your biological filtration organisms. Do check
> > that is can spin freely and clean the little V notch it goes in.
> > If your filer motor can be opened, pull out the impellor
> > assembly and clean it and the hole it goes in (a bottle brush
> > helps here).
> >
> > Sorry if you already know this, but you did say basic.
> >
> > -coelacanth
> >
> >
> > "Dinky" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > >
> > > "Sarah" > wrote in message
> > > om...
> > > > I have a question about when I should change/clean my filter
media. I
> > > > have three 5 gallon tanks. Two of them have aquaclear mini
filters
> > > > while the third has a whisper filter.
> > > >
> > > > When do I need to clean the filter media? Also do I always need
to
> > > > have the charcoal in there?
> > > >
> > > > I know these are basic questions but I'd rather ask than just
assume
> > > > that I know the right answer.
> > > >
> > > > Sarah
> > >
> > > These are good questions.
> > >
> > > The most important thing your filter provides is biological
filtration. When
> > > you remove the media, much of the bacteria is lost, which may
cause a spike
> > > of ammonia, endangering your fish. It also provides mechanical
filtration,
> > > (removal of gunk).
> > > Generally, you only need to change the media if the media is no
longer
> > > fuctioning. If it's just gunked up, you can rinse it off,
(preferably in
> > > water you just removed from the tank in a water change, so the
chlorine
> > > doesn't kill off your bacteria) and pop it back in.
> > > Carbon (charcoal) only works for a few weeks, then can actually
begin
> > > re-depositing the impurities it was removing. For this reason,
media with
> > > carbon in it must be changed every month or so, YMMV.
> > > As an aside, carbon isn't as useful as the companies that make it
would like
> > > you to believe. IME, it's only good for removing medications, and
tannins
> > > that make the water brown, like from a chunk of bogwood. I rarely
use it. I
> > > usually just gently rinse off the gunk, and replace it. I have
been using
> > > the same media in my Eheim canister since I bought it almost a
year ago.
> > > They're tough sponges and are holding up well.
> > >
> > > hth
> > > billy
> > >
> > >

[Dinky]

"Racf" > wrote in message
...
> >
> Is that what the penguin filters do, run water under the biowheel. I
> never had a penguin, but I have a lot of the Emperors and they have a
> spraybar that blasts the wheel with streams of higher pressure water.
> Just curious?
>
>

The spraybar is a comparably new development. IMO, it's because many people
would call up Customer Service complaining that thier bio-wheel was broken
because it wouldn't spin like a dervish. The formulation of organic
substances on the wheel causes it to slow, develop 'hitches', and even stop
for a few seconds. This is normal, and even desired since it means you have
bacteria forming, but caused widespread panic. <g>

[coelacanth]

Brain fade--yes I meant sponge.
"Racf" > wrote in message
...
> I do not think so.....but you might have some sponges and I think that's
> what he meant....
>
> "Sarah" > wrote in message
> om...
> > Ummm...biowheel? Do I have one of those?
> >
> >
> > "coelacanth" > wrote in message
> >...
> > > But please note that you should NOT clean the biowheel, no
> > > matter how gross it looks or how slowly it's spinning. It is the
> > > platform for your biological filtration organisms. Do check
> > > that is can spin freely and clean the little V notch it goes in.
> > > If your filer motor can be opened, pull out the impellor
> > > assembly and clean it and the hole it goes in (a bottle brush
> > > helps here).
> > >
> > > Sorry if you already know this, but you did say basic.
> > >
> > > -coelacanth
> > >
> > >
> > > "Dinky" > wrote in message
> > > ...
> > > >
> > > > "Sarah" > wrote in message
> > > > om...
> > > > > I have a question about when I should change/clean my filter
> media. I
> > > > > have three 5 gallon tanks. Two of them have aquaclear mini
> filters
> > > > > while the third has a whisper filter.
> > > > >
> > > > > When do I need to clean the filter media? Also do I always need
> to
> > > > > have the charcoal in there?
> > > > >
> > > > > I know these are basic questions but I'd rather ask than just
> assume
> > > > > that I know the right answer.
> > > > >
> > > > > Sarah
> > > >
> > > > These are good questions.
> > > >
> > > > The most important thing your filter provides is biological
> filtration. When
> > > > you remove the media, much of the bacteria is lost, which may
> cause a spike
> > > > of ammonia, endangering your fish. It also provides mechanical
> filtration,
> > > > (removal of gunk).
> > > > Generally, you only need to change the media if the media is no
> longer
> > > > fuctioning. If it's just gunked up, you can rinse it off,
> (preferably in
> > > > water you just removed from the tank in a water change, so the
> chlorine
> > > > doesn't kill off your bacteria) and pop it back in.
> > > > Carbon (charcoal) only works for a few weeks, then can actually
> begin
> > > > re-depositing the impurities it was removing. For this reason,
> media with
> > > > carbon in it must be changed every month or so, YMMV.
> > > > As an aside, carbon isn't as useful as the companies that make it
> would like
> > > > you to believe. IME, it's only good for removing medications, and
> tannins
> > > > that make the water brown, like from a chunk of bogwood. I rarely
> use it. I
> > > > usually just gently rinse off the gunk, and replace it. I have
> been using
> > > > the same media in my Eheim canister since I bought it almost a
> year ago.
> > > > They're tough sponges and are holding up well.
> > > >
> > > > hth
> > > > billy
> > > >
> > > >
>
>

[Racf]

"Dinky" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Racf" > wrote in message
> ...
> > >
> > Is that what the penguin filters do, run water under the biowheel.
I
> > never had a penguin, but I have a lot of the Emperors and they have
a
> > spraybar that blasts the wheel with streams of higher pressure
water.
> > Just curious?
> >
> >
>
> The spraybar is a comparably new development. IMO, it's because many
people
> would call up Customer Service complaining that thier bio-wheel was
broken
> because it wouldn't spin like a dervish. The formulation of organic
> substances on the wheel causes it to slow, develop 'hitches', and even
stop
> for a few seconds. This is normal, and even desired since it means you
have
> bacteria forming, but caused widespread panic. <g>
>
>

Thanks for the info.....I tune my spraybars to counteract the otherwise
fast rotation myself. I turn it up as far as it goes and gives a slow
rotation. I imagine with it pointing downward just right you could get
the wheel spinning so fast it would spray water all over _____ without
the top over it......

Thanks..... Sounds like the Penguin would be a good buy, then.....