Changing The Filter? O Noez!

[Cantbesaved]

LOL OK so a question for my knowledge and maybe some other nubz! =P

I have the Marineland Dolphin filter. So, therefore I have a bio-wheel. Now here is the big Q.

Since the bio-wheel is designed to keep beneficial bacteria on it, is it safe to change my filter cartridge after the tank has cycled?
If so, how long must I wait?

I understand I should rinse the filter in tank water to clear blockage (and mine is going to need that next water change, on the weekend), but I guess I am thinking, the idea of the bio-wheel would be useless if I could not change the filter cartridge, correct? And the carbon within is supposed to be helpful to clear the water a bit better, and I am sure my filter has got it's use out of the carbon inside it. haha

aaaaaaaaaaaand... POST!

 

[waterdrop]

Ah yes, the stage of beginnerdom when you begin to realize the disconnect between the retail fish industry and the hobbyist...

I remember the shock I felt when I came across a thread on TFF where the experienced members were boasting to each other about who had continued to use there media for the most... *decades*!

That right, good biomedia doesn't need to be replaced until it physically is falling apart in a way that would let water through without being filtered. Until then it gets more and more valuable to you because of those increasingly mature bacteria populations on it. Squeezing/swishing off the loose debris in tank water is truly all that should be needed.

Carbon is a chemical media, usually only needed for rare special circumstances and when used, it only lasts for 3 days. The 3 most common uses for a 3-day carbon run are yellow water caused by bogwood, removal of meds that have finished their prescribed course and finally, the removal of unusual organic smells for which you can not find a cause.

There are quite a number of members here who are rather expert with the biowheel models and I'm sure they may be able to help with the question of how best to substitute different media than the biowheel people had planned for you to use. I believe media substitution may be pretty straight-forward.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[OldMan47]

You are sort of correct about the bio-wheel. It is designed to be your main biofilter and allow marineland to sell lots of filter cartridges without all of your fish dying. That makes it a great design for marineland. So far I have found that my model 280 filter from marineland has had the ability to use the same cartridge for ewll over a year. As WD said, the carbon has been dead for all but a few days of that time. 3 days might be a bit of exaggeration, I like to think it worked for a whole week. That year is not a long time for a filter cartridge, it wouldn't even qualify in the competition for filter media bragging rights.
I would at least wait until your cycle has settled completely and been nice and steady for a month before considering a media swap. They can easily wait another month before selling a new cartridge to you. They get to sell lots of others to other people so they won't go broke if you wait to buy one.

 

[Cantbesaved]

lol When I bought the filter I bought a pack of 3 extra medias. I guess that will last me a lifetime! LOL OK, so I will just keep my media in there and rinse it once a month then? =) Thanks for the info!