Filter Cartridges? Help!

[EllenMarie]

Hey guys! I am thinking about purchasing a 5 gallon aquarium, just to start out my new hobby. I have been researching about the nitrogen cycle, and recently have been wondering if filters with cartridges are alright to use. If i change the filter cartridge every month (which must be done for maintenance, beneficial bacteria will be removed. I am on a tight budget, so a container filter isn't an option. Please help! is there something that I could put inside the filter next to the cartridge and keep in from time to time to store beneficial bacteria? Or should I just change the filter and Re-cycle my tank? I would prefer to not cycle it again, but if it is my last resort, then I might have to....


Thanks!
Ellen

 

[JohnDyer]

You really don't need to change the cartridge every month. The reason they tell you to do that is to change the activated carbon inside of the cartridge, which you don't really need anyways.
Most hang-on filters have a sponge pad for bacteria, so you'll keep a good portion of the bacteria even if you take out the cartridge.

 

[EllenMarie]

Very Helpful! Thanks for the tip.

 

[bikerfish]

Hi I disgree sorry I had 2 slim cartridge filters on my tank, you have to change the cartridges every 4 to 6 weeks max , I wash mine in tank water each week and in each filter there was 2 carbon and 2 zeonitles and I changed 2 at a time at different times , they get realy dirty and will only put horrible stuff back in tank , not only I found a lot of algea would grow in side and mainly where the water flows back in to the tank and was a pain to get clean. The tank kept on going into mini cycles so after 6 months I changed to FLUVALU4 and not had any problems since.

This is only what I have found with cartridge filters

Cathy

 

[JohnDyer]

You had algae growing inside your cartridges? Where would they get light from?
The carbon cartridges aren't even necessary unless there are toxins or something in the water that needs removing. You can find some extra sponge pad or other filter media to grow bacteria on, or you could run in without, it should be fine either way.

 

[Bugdozer]

Hi I disgree sorry I had 2 slim cartridge filters on my tank, you have to change the cartridges every 4 to 6 weeks max , I wash mine in tank water each week and in each filter there was 2 carbon and 2 zeonitles and I changed 2 at a time at different times , they get realy dirty and will only put horrible stuff back in tank , not only I found a lot of algea would grow in side and mainly where the water flows back in to the tank and was a pain to get clean. The tank kept on going into mini cycles so after 6 months I changed to FLUVALU4 and not had any problems since.

This is only what I have found with cartridge filters

Cathy

Could you scrubbing off what you thought was algae be connected with the tank going into mini cycles? Perhaps it wasn't algae at all...

 

[bikerfish]

Hi the algea was NOT in the cartridges it was where the water flows down back into the tank, this was the only area it would really grow and yes it was algea at the end of the day this was my own expericence with this type of filter and the problems I had .
So I am confused if we dont need the carbon in the filters , then why does all the filters seem to have it ?
cathy

 

[tomtomtom1230]

It does help polish the water (although other products do a better job) but it isn't necessary. If I were to leave my carbon in the porous bag too long it would start to leech tannins from the wood back into the water which leads me to believe any toxins could be leeched back in, too. I do agree with changing the carbon in filters (only as a personal preference). The algae would've been an end product from the mini cycles and not really a direct problem from the filter itself, I suspect.

 

[bikerfish]

Hi could be the mini cycles that caused the algea as did not have it before or after changing filters . cheers about the carbon advice
cathy

 

[EllenMarie]

I recently purchased a filter with a bio-wheel, which works out great! When changing my filter media, I now don't have to worry about removing too much bacteria.

 

[bikerfish]

Hi I am really pleased you have found a filter and tank is going really well
cathy