Filter Maintenance?

[Steve H.]

While I wait for my tank to cycle I have been surfing this forum trying to learn as much as I can. After reading "know your filter media" in the resource section I realized I had know idea what mine was because my brother-in-law set up the filter originally.

I found the filter directions, and I have a activated carbon. Now the directions state to change the carbon every month. But from everything I have read that is where the bacterial colony that I am so patiently waiting to grow lives.

The questions:
How often do you want to change the activated carbon?
How do you know when you need to change it?
Will it remove the bacteria?
&
Is a good idea to add a small amount of an additional media such as a sponge or woven meche?

Thanks!!

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Active carbon only removes chemicals from the water effectively for a short period of time (days rather than weeks), so it should only be added when you want to deal with an immediate problem, such as removing medication at the end of a treatment course and having done a big water change. If left in the filter continously, like all other filter media, the ammonia and nitrite processing bacteria will colonise it and if suddenly removed it could lead to a "tank crash" (ammonia and nitrite levels soaring to toxic levels).

 

[minnnt]

Hi Steve, personally i would remove the activated carbon if it is in a bag and keep it in the cupboard should you ever need to remove meds etc. It will lead to better flow also. The effect it has on your tank will be minimal and for a short amount of time like goat says.

I would much prefer an extra sponge in there.

 

[BigbruiserAl]

Hi Steve, personally i would remove the activated carbon if it is in a bag and keep it in the cupboard should you ever need to remove meds etc. It will lead to better flow also. The effect it has on your tank will be minimal and for a short amount of time like goat says.

I would much prefer an extra sponge in there.

Agree if its in a bag just bin it after use, if its like the tetratec ones which are sponges i just leave them in after the carbon is used up the sponge will just act like any other and home bacteria as normal

 

[Steve H.]

Ok. Thanks. I will remove the carbon.

But I think I might add a sponge for a bit before I do that. Just unsure of how much of the bacterial colony might be growing on the carbon already.

If BigNose's water cycling formula is correct my tank should be fully cycled anywhere between Thursday and Saturday.

How long before if have a significant amount of bacteria growing on a sponge after I add it?

 

[BigbruiserAl]

once cycled you can take out 1/3 of your media with little to no effect, as the bacteria are in there early days i would only guess they will take maybe a week a most to be back on track IMO

 

[Aqua Tom]

Ok. Thanks. I will remove the carbon.

But I think I might add a sponge for a bit before I do that. Just unsure of how much of the bacterial colony might be growing on the carbon already.

If BigNose's water cycling formula is correct my tank should be fully cycled anywhere between Thursday and Saturday.

How long before if have a significant amount of bacteria growing on a sponge after I add it?

Instantly if you can get a bit of mature media sponge. Where are you?


Tom

 

[Steve H.]

I'm in Chicago suburbs.

 

[Steve H.]

Bignose was right on the money with his cycling with water changes formula.
I did 50% water changes every day and the tank cycled in 18 days!

I will check my water again tomorrow before and after I remove the carbon. Hope it does not efffect the chemistry too much.

How much of the bacterial colony lives in the gravel in the tank?
Or is it mostly in the filter?

 

[fishguy2727]

There is no set amount of time that carbon is effective. It varies GREATLY based on the quantity and quality of the carbon, the amount of chemicals in the tank it will be removing, the size of the tank, the flow it receives, etc. High quality carbon in a relatively clean tank can definitely be effective for a month or more, a little low quality carbon in a dirty tank could be used up in hours.

 

[raptorrex]

Bignose was right on the money with his cycling with water changes formula.
I did 50% water changes every day and the tank cycled in 18 days!

I will check my water again tomorrow before and after I remove the carbon. Hope it does not efffect the chemistry too much.

How much of the bacterial colony lives in the gravel in the tank?
Or is it mostly in the filter?

how much is in your substrate, depends on how you keep your tank. and, to an extent, how deep your substrate is.
though the vast majority of your bacteria is in your filter. substrate and bio film, hold amounts too.
indeed your cycle is not "truly" Finnish, until your tank is mature (6-12 months) bio film is the final part of the nitrogen cycle. and bio film is everywhere.

its not that unusual for people to experience a "mini" cycle if the change their substrate.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Isn't a lot of the cause of that "mini-cycle" due to disturbing detritus that has fallen into the gravel and just sat there decaying slowly? I know there is some bacteria in the substrate, etc. But, if you can safely remove 1/3 of the media from an established filter with no "mini-cycle" evident, I would think that there is something else at work... primarily more waste available in the tank after disturbing the substrate.

 

[Steve H.]

I was just curious about the gravel because I think Santa might be bringing me the 60gL that I have had my eye on.
Right now my 10gL just cycled.
I was thinking of using some of the gravel and some filter media from the 10gl to jump start the cycle in my new tank. Transfer current stock from the 10, and start a new stock there.

 

[fishguy2727]

IME effectively no bacteria live in the substrate, decor, etc. if you have enough filtration with enough flow because that will favor the bacteria in the filter. It is like how most humans live very close to a water source of some kind, but you will find people everywhere. I have moved many tanks by moving the filters and fish together all at once without any issues, re-cycle, or mini-cycle.

Of course there are bacteria everywhere in the tank. I in no way mean that the substrate and decor are sterile.

I wouldn't consider a biofilm as part of the nitrogen cycle. In this hobby when people refer to the nitrogen cycle they are generally only referring to the bacteria that produce ammonia, consume ammonia, and consume nitrite.

I do agree that the stability of a 12 month old tank is better than one that is two months old and barely cycled, so the same idea stands. I just wouldn't consider that part of a tank cycling or the nitrogen cycle.

Mini- and re-cycles can be caused by many things. Most commonly they are caused by adding too many fish in a short period of time, cleaning the filters too well, and yes, a sudden increase in waste (such as stirring up all sorts of waste in the substrate or overfeeding). This is one reason to vacuum very well a couple days in a row before changing substrates.

 

[raptorrex]

IME effectively no bacteria live in the substrate, decor, etc. if you have enough filtration with enough flow because that will favor the bacteria in the filter. It is like how most humans live very close to a water source of some kind, but you will find people everywhere. I have moved many tanks by moving the filters and fish together all at once without any issues, re-cycle, or mini-cycle.

Of course there are bacteria everywhere in the tank. I in no way mean that the substrate and decor are sterile.

I wouldn't consider a biofilm as part of the nitrogen cycle. In this hobby when people refer to the nitrogen cycle they are generally only referring to the bacteria that produce ammonia, consume ammonia, and consume nitrite.

I do agree that the stability of a 12 month old tank is better than one that is two months old and barely cycled, so the same idea stands. I just wouldn't consider that part of a tank cycling or the nitrogen cycle.

Mini- and re-cycles can be caused by many things. Most commonly they are caused by adding too many fish in a short period of time, cleaning the filters too well, and yes, a sudden increase in waste (such as stirring up all sorts of waste in the substrate or overfeeding). This is one reason to vacuum very well a couple days in a row before changing substrates.

its well establish e. if you believe it or not. Bio film is the final stage of the nitrogen cycle.
same with the substrate. the amount depends on how you treat your tank.. but removing amount of bio film, will affect the stability of your tank.
perhaps if you had been around a bit longer, you would know this.

to the OP. try a forum search for. Bio film, mature tank, mini cycle and the like. there are a myriad of threads dealing with it. all have far more experience, to offer, than any comment here.
use the experience of those who were members for years.
so they dont come here now................ Humm i wonder why!
too many google experts. not enough experience.