# How/when to change filter media?



## Manthalynn (Aug 23, 2008)

I've searched all over this forum and haven't found any mention to how to do this properly (or if at all). 

I've had a 5gal up and running since late Spring or Early summer (can't exactly remember when...crazy summer, car accident, new job, etc...). It cycled beautifully, I've been testing it every week and it's been solid and healthy. Around the middle of August I started up a 10 gallon and it's now doing well, too. (No fishy deaths this time around! I learned the first time!)

I've noticed lately that the water flow from the filter back into the tank is quite slow now. The 5 gal is actually barely moving. I've done the dunk, swish, and scrape thing in water change water to no avail.

How often am I supposed to change the cartidges/media? And how do you do this without totally throwing out all the built up bacteria?

I have a Tetra Whisper 10 HOB in the 5 gal and an AquaTech 10 in the 10 gal.

Any hints thrown toward a still wet-behind-the-ears aquari-ist would be appreciated! (Actually, I guess in this case it would be DRY behind the ears!)

Thanks!


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

> How often am I supposed to change the cartidges/media? And how do you do this without totally throwing out all the built up bacteria?


 The people who make the cartridges would like you to change the media quite often, but of course when you do, you toss your good bacteria, too. Not replacing as often as recommended by the filter maker will save you money, but you may not have the "sparkling clear" water that you get from fresh activated carbon. 

I have three stages of dealing with filter media. One, rinse in outgoing water change water, this is best for retaining bacteria, but doesn't always get rid of clogging. Two, rinse under tap water (not warmer than the tank) while rubbing off stubborn stuff with fingers or brush, then return to tank (you lose some bacteria, but not all) after water change (dechlor in new tank water should take care of any chlorine left in the filter. Three toss the cartridge in the trash when it is leaking or stringy/sagging to the point of getting caught in the impeller or otherwise annoying me. You lose all the bacteria in the cartridge, which is why good filters have more than one cartridge or a sponge or bio-wheel you don't replace as often. 

With the Whispers you can also use fresh carbon and keep the old white sleeve. Do this if removing meds or the water "smells funny" or has an oily film on the surface.


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## COM (Mar 15, 2008)

I just change cartridges every six to eight weeks, depending on filth and my schedule. This has always worked well for me since 1992. Those cartridges last a long time.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

It's also always a good idea to have TWO separate filters running on the tank just to solve this problem. With two, you can take turns just cleaning one at a time and leaving the other until next month.


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## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

Also Make sure the impeller has no debris on it. I find the Penguin filters go slow or stop filtering when the impeller is clogged. On the Aquaclear the little basket starts to rise up in the plastic housing. This is when it needs a good clean.( all the inserts)


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## Manthalynn (Aug 23, 2008)

Thanks to all! That really helped!

I forgot to mention that I did take apart the entire filter (impeller and all) and cleaned it/scrubbed it in the changed water. 

Unfortunately, the filter on my 5 gal only has one insert, so removing that removes everything. But the 10 gal has two parts. And when I go to buy a filter for my "new" 29 gal, I'll make sure to get one (or two) that have multiple filters. I feel a new thread coming on!

Thanks again!


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## Suess00 (Sep 5, 2008)

I got a MarineLand Biowheel 90 gallon filter with two cartridges and two bio wheels and my friend told me the same thing switch one at a time and it works great switch one every 6-8weeks and the other filter still has enough bacteria to "infect" the other new cartridge.

In my 20 gallon tank I tear of the infected part of the filter (not all of it just around half of it) and place it infront of the new filter so that the water runs through the infected filter first and then into the new cartridge to get it infected and it works great for me.

I have not read that anyone else has done that on this forum and I personally dont see anything wrong with that and after a couple of days I throw the old infected part of the cartridge away and the other one is infected so its all good. Also in my 20 gallon tank i have a Marineland HOB 50 gallon bio wheel filter. 

In my experience they are the best HOB unit that you can buy and not pay a arm and a leg for.

Hope this helped

Chris


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

Manthalynn said:


> How often am I supposed to change the cartidges/media? And how do you do this without totally throwing out all the built up bacteria?


Sam:

Per your last post you are doing good but I will start from "ground zero".

Your Whisper 10 and your AquaTech 10 which I hope is similar to this have assemblies which are composed of the intake tube strainer, the intake tube, the impeller, and the impeller chamber.

I no longer "mess with" cleaning only the biowheel and the pad but approximately once per week (or when the biowheel rotation slows significantly) remove the assembly and clean with a tooth brush in WC water.

The tooth brush allows quick and easy cleaning but also allows me to clean the rotor chamber.

Although my pads are now rag tag after approximately one year of service they still function effectively for mechanical as well as biological filtration.

The problem with changing the pads is the activated carbon which quickly becomes ineffective for chemical filtration but eventually does become effective for biological filtration.

I have ordered several pads and plan on just placing them in the tank for 28 days prior to placing them in service.

Please note that I just "squish out" the pads in WC water but I clean the biowheels with the toothbrush while rinsing in WC water.

TR


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## Suess00 (Sep 5, 2008)

so you clean the Biowheels with a tooth brush? Wouldnt that kill and eliminate the bacteria?


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

Suess00 said:


> so you clean the Biowheels with a tooth brush? Wouldnt that kill and eliminate the bacteria?


Based on my water parameter tests no. My biowheels' medium is fairly porous and the toothbrush, IMHO, only removes minor detritus (as well as snail egg sacks).

Please note that I use a toothbrush of medium stiffness.

Also please note that until you have run a toothbrush into the rotor chamber and swirled it around you cannot (or at least I could not) imagine the "gunk" which is in there.

TR


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## Manthalynn (Aug 23, 2008)

Suess00 said:


> In my 20 gallon tank I tear of the infected part of the filter (not all of it just around half of it) and place it infront of the new filter so that the water runs through the infected filter first and then into the new cartridge to get it infected and it works great for me.
> 
> Also in my 20 gallon tank i have a Marineland HOB 50 gallon bio wheel filter.
> 
> ...



Chris, that helps a lot. I think there's even room in my whisper 10 to fit a portion of the old cartridge. And I think I will look into a Marineland for my 29 gal I'm going to be setting up. I want a good filter without paying too much. But I know with filters you sort of pay for what you get...

Thanks!


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## jl8013 (Jan 4, 2008)

Since this topic is about filter media, I will post my question here too. I have a 29g tank with Whisper 30 filter. I replaced the active carbon filter and washed the form filter once a month. Is that too often?


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## Manthalynn (Aug 23, 2008)

Do you wash it in water change water? Or in tap water?

The only purpose I see to washing it (from my limited experience of the past year) is to remove cruddy build-up to make sure the water is still able to flow. I have a planted aquarium, so I rinse mine every 2-4 weeks to get the plant detritus and soil dust off it.

If you only have your Whisper 30 on your 29 gal, you should probably look into adding a second filter to your tank. On my 29 I have an AquaClear 50 and a Whisper 30.

Other more knowledgeable people can explain why you want more filtration, but I've heard you want about 10x turnaround per hour (Ie: a 30 gallon tank will want about 300gph capacity from your filters). Good luck!


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## muffineatsfish (Jan 25, 2009)

for the first question it wont mess up you bacteria to clean the filters, because most of the bacteria, the good bacteria is on the gravel.


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

General:

I spent a ton of time this morning googling for specs and flow diagrams relevant to the Whisper 30 with no joy (and just spent another hour also with no joy).

Can someone post a link?

Sam:

While googling this morning I found *this.*


j8:

*One*
Just curious as to why you are using carbon in your filtration process?

*Two*
The rinse water for any filtration media should be WC water.




muffineatsfish said:


> for the first question it wont mess up you bacteria to clean the filters, because most of the bacteria, the good bacteria is on the gravel.


Folks: Please do not latch onto the above assertion until further dialog.

mef: how do you know this assertion to be correct?

TR


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## jl8013 (Jan 4, 2008)

jones57742 said:


> j8:
> 
> *One*
> Just curious as to why you are using carbon in your filtration process?
> ...


Why? Because thats what whisper 30 used for its system.


> Whisper Power Filters are the best-selling brand of power filters in the U.S. Appropriate for every size aquarium, they provide the three types of filtration that your aquarium needs: Biological, Mechanical and Chemical. Whisper power filters use bio-bag filter cartridges. The Bio-Bags are constructed of dual-mesh and ultra activated carbon. The Bio Bags performs mechanical filtration by catching large debris in its dual-sided mesh. The activated carbon inside the Bio Bag absorbs odor and discoloration performing chemical filtration. Good for aquariums up to 30 gallons. For both freshwater and saltwater aquariums.


I used tap water to wash the form filter.


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## Manthalynn (Aug 23, 2008)

Ron: The link you found is not to a Whisper 30. The Whisper 30 is an HOB which has been discontinued (I know because my LFS was selling them for $10! Which is why I purchased one to beef up my filtration on my 29gal). It has a typical Whisper white media filter pad that comes with Carbon in it. It also has a blue fiber/foam pad with big pore space that sits on the tail end up of the filtration flow. (Ie: the water flows through the white/carbon pad first, then flows into the blue fiber pad second then out into the tank).




jl8013 said:


> Why? Because that's what whisper 30 used for its system.


I use carbon for this very reason too...because the cartridges come that way. However, Ron, would it be better to buy the simple cartridges that you're supposed to load carbon into and just not load the carbon? (In the link I put above, you can see the simple white media "bags")



> I used tap water to wash the form filter.


Do not use tap water to wash your filter pad. From what I understand, filters draw water through the padding which houses beneficial bacteria that takes ammonia or nitrIte (can't remember, but they're both bad) and turns it into nitrAte. Carbon supposedly neutralizes something (odor and discoloration) but doesn't filter out the ammonia, and it becomes useless after a couple weeks, necessitating changing the pad every 2 weeks. But most people around here don't like carbon because they feel a plain pad works better (I'm of this opinion too). If you're changing your pad every few weeks, you never get a really good colonization on your filter pads to filter the way they're supposed to. (And it's expensive!)

As I said, the only reason I see to "wash" the pads is if you have visible build up on them of poo or plant material. Washing in tap water kills the beneficial bacteria on the pads because tap water has chlorine (or similar substances) in it and that kills the bacteria. 

Try this instead: When your nitrAtes build up to above 40ppm it's time to change your water. (Ron, is this about the right level to change at?) Pump out 25% or so of the water from your tank and capture that in a bucket. Swish the filter pads around in that old water. You'll get off any debris without killing any of the bacteria. Then you can throw out the water (or water your plants with them...the nitrates in the water is good for your plants...free fertilizer)

Sorry that's not as professional of a response as most people around here can give, but it's what I've learned in the past several months that I've been studying fish keeping. 

Good luck and have fun with your tank! Hope my message wasn't too "doom and gloom".


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

Sam:

I really appreciate the links!! Bet you that I spent at two hours yesterday hunting just trying to help folks but with no joy.

As you can easily ascertain the published documentation with respect to this filter is really lacking but your verbalization really helped a bunch.


j8:

*One*

The ease of maintenance increases my enjoyment of my tanks.

If you are doing 25% weekly WC's rinse the bag and the coarse media which Sam described each time you perform a WC if it is not too big of a hastle.

Contrary to Sam's words (please excuse me here Sam) any clogging of the filtration media will reduce the turnover rate for your tank.

*Two*

Can you detect any odor difference in that emanating from your tank at time zero (when you insert a new bag) compared to time one month (when you replace the bag)?

*Three*

As Sam noted please do not wash any filtration media in tap water as the residual chloramine (a minimum of 1ppm) will be instantaneously lethal to the ammonia and nitrite digestion bacteria which populate this media.

TR


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## jl8013 (Jan 4, 2008)

I'm a lazy person.  I don't do WC weekly, its more like every 3wks. I used one of those attached to water faucet vacuum kit to do the WC. So I can't save the water to wash the form filter, but next time I will wash the form while in vacuum mode. I do put AqueSafe and Stress Coat in before I fill up the tank. As far as odor, I don't think I detect any difference in the tank. Although I did noticed the side that facing toward the water flow was full of green stuffs(algae?).


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## Manthalynn (Aug 23, 2008)

jones57742 said:


> Sam: I really appreciate the links!! Bet you that I spent at two hours yesterday hunting just trying to help folks but with no joy.


Actually, (and you're gonna hate me for this) it only took me a few minutes. But I knew what I was looking for and I also am just _really_ good at Googling. They call me the Google Girl at work. 

According to my LFS guy, the Whisper 30 has been replaced by the Whisper EX30 or something. The EX30 is pretty much the same, only moderate style changes to the casing.


> The ease of maintenance increases my enjoyment of my tanks.


Amen!


> Contrary to Sam's words (please excuse me here Sam) any clogging of the filtration media will reduce the turnover rate for your tank.


No problem! I appreciate your correcting me. I actually meant what you just said, but last night I wasn't finding the right words to explain anything.


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## Manthalynn (Aug 23, 2008)

jl8013 said:


> I'm a lazy person.  I don't do WC weekly, its more like every 3wks.


Have you ever tested your water to see what your nitrAtes are after 3 weeks? I've heard some people can get away with this, and I can get away with no W/C for a couple weeks because I have plants. Just currious. 


> I used one of those attached to water faucet vacuum kit to do the WC.


I have one of those, too. Mine's a Python. If you don't have any water change water left, you can always just dechlorinate a small bucket of water to clean your filter media in. That's what I do sometimes. Actually, because I have soil dust that really junks up the water in the bucket, I often have to use a few of these to really clean the filters. Also, don't forget to clean the impeller ever couple months. I don't enjoy pulling apart my filter all that often, but it's fairly easy to get to the impeller and you'd be surprised how much junk builds up on that baby.

Ron, would you agree this is a safe way to clean filter media? (Again, I'm just going off my minimal experience and moderate research over the past several months so any corrections and agreements are appreciated!)



> I do put AquaSafe and Stress Coat in before I fill up the tank.


From looking at these webpages, it looks like the two chemicals you are using do the same thing. You might be able to save money and just use one (like the AquaSafe dechlorinator) unless you have fish that have wounds.

I recently asked how to apply dechlorinator in regards to a python and got several different answers.

See here; and here.

Hope that helps!


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

jl8013 said:


> I'm a lazy person.  I don't do WC weekly, its more like every 3wks. I used one of those attached to water faucet vacuum kit to do the WC. So I can't save the water to wash the form filter, but next time I will wash the form while in vacuum mode.


j8: When in vacuum mode the outflow from the Python contains chloramine and as such this will not work. Can you easily just dip out some tank water in a bowl or glass before you start the WC?




jl8013 said:


> As far as odor, I don't think I detect any difference in the tank.


After about 14 days the carbon in your pouch probably is no longer "activated" but has begun functioning principally as biological filtration media and secondarily as mechanical media.

As you have not observed odor prior to your WC have you considered just rinsing out the pouch and reusing it?

Please note that I am not a believer in the employment of activated carbon filtration in the typical filtration process although some folks are.




Manthalynn said:


> I have one of those, too. Mine's a Python. If you don't have any water change water left, you can always just dechlorinate a small bucket of water to clean your filter media in. That's what I do sometimes. Actually, because I have soil dust that really junks up the water in the bucket, I often have to use a few of these to really clean the filters.


Yes: this will work but see my subsequent comments concerning maintenance.




Manthalynn said:


> Also, don't forget to clean the impeller ever couple months. I don't enjoy pulling apart my filter all that often, but it's fairly easy to get to the impeller and you'd be surprised how much junk builds up on that baby.


Sam:

Other than me you are the only one who has posted this information the last year or so I believe.

In addition to the impeller the impeller housing, the rotor housing, the uplift tube and uplift intake should be cleaned also.

These can be cleaned in hot tap water with a tooth brush in order to minimize the time required.




Manthalynn said:


> I recently asked how to apply dechlorinator in regards to a python and got several different answers.


loc says that he does not even use dechlorinate but I am not willing to take this risk.

I believe that whatever it is in Prime is very aggressive with respect to the oxidation of chlorine/chloramine, ammonia and nitrites (please google for "whatever it is" and if you find it please post a link: ie. the formulation of water conditioners is highly proprietary).


*Folks: The following is relative to tank maintenance and will probably not directly translate into anyones else's world but maybe the concepts will.*

I established the water surface elevation of the three tanks which I principally enjoy such that the the 110G is like one foot higher than the two 5G's whose water surface elevation is like two feet higher than the lowest elevation of the kitchen sink.

I have RO/DI plumbed into the wet/dry sump of the 110G.

These aquariums are very proximate to each other as well as to the kitchen sink.

I have three 3/8" flexible tubes zip tied together and the three 3/8" tubes instead of a one inch tube is for velocity minimization.

As you can envision performing 90% daily WC's of the 5G's and 10% daily WC's of the 110G is a five minute operation with no fuss and no muss.

TR


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## Manthalynn (Aug 23, 2008)

jones57742 said:


> I established the water surface elevation of the three tanks which I principally enjoy such that the the 110G is like one foot higher than the two 5G's whose water surface elevation is like two feet higher than the lowest elevation of the kitchen sink.


That must have been an engineering marvel! No matter what I do, I always slop all sorts of water everywhere. My kitchen sink is pretty high, but maybe I'll have to try this with the python into my tub without using the water faucet as a pressurizer.


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## Chrispixx (Dec 23, 2008)

jl8013 said:


> I used one of those attached to water faucet vacuum kit to do the WC. So I can't save the water to wash the form filter.




Go to your local hardware/home center and get a garden hose quick disconnect (plastic), it has two parts, one part goes on the faucet siphon, The other part goes on the hose. 

After you get suction going from the faucet disconnect it, kink it then place in a bucket. As long as the tank is higher than the end of the hose gravity will take over and fill the bucket. 

Then you will have tank water for rinsing filter pads etc.

Here is a link to what i am talking about. They should be available locally.

http://www.wateringstore.com/index.php?cmd=product&prodid=21&gclid=CMj7_qbQq5gCFQwNGgod9HHWnA

I use one of these on my water changing hose so i don't have to leave the water running. After the suction is started i disconnect it and place the hose in the bathtub to drain the tank, then i proceed with gravel vacuuming. I reverse the procedure to refill. It works great and saves water.


:fish:


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

Manthalynn said:


> That must have been an engineering marvel!


Sam: No engineering whatsoever. Just simple physics and the relation of kinetic energy to potential energy (ie. *Torricelli's Equation*)

In addition to a bathtub also think about an exterior window or door also.

The big cleaning of the 110G is accomplished via a siphon in a 1" flexible tube from the tank to the back yard.

The 1" tube and the available potential energy generate the appropriate velocity for bottom cleaning as well as rock and wood cleaning.

TR


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## jl8013 (Jan 4, 2008)

Thanks for all the response. I guess I will dip out some of the tank water in a bucket to wash the filter. Is nitrAte same as nitrite NO2? I just tested the water of my tank, and I think its at 0 ppm. I do have a few plants in the tank. And I do clean my impeller, cuz sometime I noticed the water flow slow down, so I just take out the whole pump tube thing and clean the inside of it.

ps: since this topic get so much traffic than my other one, please check it out. TIA


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

jl8013 said:


> . Is nitrAte same as nitrite NO2? I just tested the water of my tank, and I think its at 0 ppm. I do have a few plants in the tank. And I do clean my impeller, cuz sometime I noticed the water flow slow down, so I just take out the whole pump tube thing and clean the inside of it.
> 
> ps: since this topic get so much traffic than my other one, please check it out. TIA


j8: No nitrites and nitrates are not the same thing.

Nitrates are NO3 and are stable.

Nitrites are NO2 are not stable, are attempting to acquire another O atom and hence their toxicity.

TR


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## Manthalynn (Aug 23, 2008)

jones57742 said:


> Nitrates are NO3 and are stable.
> 
> Nitrites are NO2 are not stable, are attempting to acquire another O atom and hence their toxicity.


Thank you for the succinct answer! I wanted to give them an answer tonight, but didn't have the energy to Google specifics for them. Plus, I have learned something now, too!


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

Manthalynn said:


> Thank you for the succinct answer! I wanted to give them an answer tonight, but didn't have the energy to Google specifics for them. Plus, I have learned something now, too!


Sam:

What is this Googling business about? Give me a break here please!!:lol: :lol: :lol:

Also I anticipated that one in your field of endeavor could also easily rip off the ...ane's, ...ol's as well the ...yl's (ex. methane, methanol and methylbenzene)! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Sam I am just really kidding you here of course as the last time I read an organic chemistry book was 35 years when I was trying to help out some preMed folks on my dorm wing and it has easily been 25 years since Ron "could rip these off!".

TR


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## Manthalynn (Aug 23, 2008)

I blessedly have never had to take OChem...yet. That's this Fall. And I hate chemistry. Ask me a physiology or taxonomy (or even etymology) and I can probably answer you off the top of my head. But chemistry. No.

But I do know the reason alcohols burn going down your throat is because they are unstable and trying to rip an H atom from your mucus membranes. Nice, huh? (I actually wouldn't know about alcohol burning because I've never had a drink, if you'll believe that...)


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