Filter Change ?

[jimboshrimp]

Hi I have a panorama 64L tank from pets at home. It came with a filter which has 2 inserts one is called a floss & carbon cartridge which has a white woolly type of bag with particles of black carbon inside ( I looked through  light to check what was inside) and the other is a green Algaway pad ?
I wondered if I kept the green algaway pad is this just their way of not saying sponge and don't renew every 28 days as it specifies would this be ok and I also wondered if I took away the floss carbon one and replaced it with another algaway pad (or sponge) would this be better for my tank ?
I have had ammonia issues ( cycled with fish before I found this wonderful site) and used part of an old sponge from my brother's tank as instructed on here and all parameters are now finally sorted . Thanks to you guys
I regularly do water changes every few days mostly 25%  3 a week with a larger one of those being 50% .
Thanks in advance for any advice given
Angie
 

 

[thefishnoob]

I would say to keep the carbon. Carbon does alot of good filtering for a tank.
Every water change I just swish the filters in the tank water to clean it up a bit. Then every 3-5 water changes I switch out the carbon. My filter has 2 filter media bags so I switch one out then the next 4 weeks I switch out the other. This is so I dont disrupt the cycle.

 

[KirkyArcher]

The green away sponge is just a sponge that has anti phosphate coating, sponges even the "green away" type are a very good home for good nitrifying bacteria (if just squashed and swished in old tank water or treated water to clean any build up of muck, carbon actually does little other than remove smells and medications and blocks up very quickly. So if you can make space for more sponge or even some ceramic media that'll be the best path to follow. Most sponge or ceramic media need only be replaced every couple of years or longer

 

[EllieJellyEllie]

The carbon is worthless unless changed every 1-2 weeks.
 
You can use filter floss instead of those cartridges, much cheaper. You can also buy polyester filling if it has no anti molding properties, or anything else.
 
That sponge is for bacterial growth, never change that. Its important

 

[jimboshrimp]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I was thinking about filter floss or more sponge because it would fit in place of the carbon I had thrown away my first set of both then had ammonia problems so read on here just to swish out the sponge then not replace for as long as possible I just wasn't sure about the carbon one. Water change today again then will take it out and just add another sponge as I have one spare.
Thanks again
Angie

 

[Lunar Jetman]

The carbon is worthless unless changed every 1-2 weeks.

 
That's not really true. You'll get a month or so out of it rather than just 1-2 weeks. Its good at removing meds and chemical impurities but needs changing regularly. Generally most experienced fish keepers tend to not bother with it unless they its after a bout of medication to remove it. I've just got 3 trays of sponges in my filter and some ceramic rings and filter floss.

 

[the_lock_man]

I would say to keep the carbon. Carbon does alot of good filtering for a tank.
 

 
That's a moot point. Carbon has two purposes - it removes tannins (leaching from bogwood) and it removes heavy metal pollutants.
 
Most decent dechlorinators, and some bad ones, also remove heavy metals, so in that respect, carbon is unnecessary. Plus, as Ellie points out, its lifespan is limited to a few weeks.
 
However, it does also provide a good place for bacteria to grow, so removing the carbon cartridge may also remove a significant proportion of your bacteria.

 

[Lunar Jetman]

 

I would say to keep the carbon. Carbon does alot of good filtering for a tank.
 

 
That's a moot point. Carbon has two purposes - it removes tannins (leaching from bogwood) and it removes heavy metal pollutants.
 
Most decent dechlorinators, and some bad ones, also remove heavy metals, so in that respect, carbon is unnecessary. Plus, as Ellie points out, its lifespan is limited to a few weeks.
 
However, it does also provide a good place for bacteria to grow, so removing the carbon cartridge may also remove a significant proportion of your bacteria.
 

 
Eloquently put TLM! I don't bother but plenty of people do, so as long as they understand the pluses and minuses I'd say ultimately its personal choice.

 

[the_lock_man]

 

 


I would say to keep the carbon. Carbon does alot of good filtering for a tank.
 

 
That's a moot point. Carbon has two purposes - it removes tannins (leaching from bogwood) and it removes heavy metal pollutants.
 
Most decent dechlorinators, and some bad ones, also remove heavy metals, so in that respect, carbon is unnecessary. Plus, as Ellie points out, its lifespan is limited to a few weeks.
 
However, it does also provide a good place for bacteria to grow, so removing the carbon cartridge may also remove a significant proportion of your bacteria.
 

 
Eloquently put TLM! I don't bother but plenty of people do, so as long as they understand the pluses and minuses I'd say ultimately its personal choice.
 


 
No, I don't bother either, but I did when I was noobie.
 
Jimbo, I'm inferring that the tank is a few weeks/months old, and that the carbon has been in there since set-up. If so, then the tank and bacteria are relatively immature, but the chances are that there will be some bacteria on the carbon - removing that will, IMHO, cause issues, as the bacteria won't be mature enough to recolonise all that quickly. If you were to wait a year or so, remoiving the carbon and replacing with sponge, ceramics, etc., would cause less of a problem.

 

[jimboshrimp]

Thanks I think I will wait a while then as it's only about 2 1/2 months set up I suppose its just the way I am I like things to be clean in the house no matter what they are and the carbon bag is quite scruffy so I thought I must change it and as I have done so already a month ago and then had ammonia problems I will bow to your greater knowledge and leave it in i'll just let hubby change the water then I don't have to see the yukky thing lol

 

[the_lock_man]

That's what husbands are for, surely?

 

[jimboshrimp]

Ha ha well I'm not telling him you said that lol .
I still feel guilty I did fish in cycle but they have all survived I've had no casualties except the zebra danio getting into the filter and his bottom fin and tail got shredded but I'm glad to say he now has lovely new tail and fin and swimming away like a happy fish should be. and I don't over fill the tank so he can't venture in there again .