Filter Media

[andspenka]

I've had my tank set up a couple of weeks now but since the filter came with the tank I have no idea how long the media has been in there.

Looking on Seapets website you can read on the box, that it needs replacing every 30 days, surely they should last longer than that!

How often do you guys change them?

 

[fluttermoth]

Never.

Seriously, you dont need to change it. Everyone always says, "unless it's falling apart", but I've got sponges that are 20+ years old and they're still fine. The only things you ever need to replace are filter floss and carbon, but most people don't need to be using carbon anyway

 

[willowstwin]

sorry flutter, you must think I'm an absolute moron >.< but what is filter floss? I'm always nervous about taking things apart in case I break them. I opened my filter, shoved in the little piece of (what i hope is) mature medium, and quickly shut it. so I have never really looked at what's in my filter. Is it just a large filter pump thing? (sorry andspenka for intruding on your topic).

On the topic front, every piece of information I have received on here states that (and please correct me if I'm wrong) you only rinse your filter sponge IN TANK WATER (like during a water change, rinse it in the bucket of water you've just removed), because if you rinse it in tap water, the chlorine kills the good bacteria.

 

[fluttermoth]

I don't think you're a moron at all; we all have to learn these things

Filter floss is a fine nylon sort of 'cotton wool'. It's used to filter out any very tiny particles and give a final 'polish' to the water. Although it would be colonised by bacteria eventually, it's used purely as a mechanical filtration; you use a thin layer somewhere in the filter and you can wash it out a few times but it does go lumpy after a while, so you throw it away and replace it.

You are quite right about cleaning filter media only in old tank water

 

[SchottayB]

Never.

Seriously, you dont need to change it. Everyone always says, "unless it's falling apart", but I've got sponges that are 20+ years old and they're still fine. The only things you ever need to replace are filter floss and carbon, but most people don't need to be using carbon anyway

I agree, never change them... ever!


Sorry to hi-jack but, how oftern does filter floss need replacing?

 

[fluttermoth]

When it goes weird and clumpy! It normally lasts a good few months; I've heard that you can refresh it by putting it in a pillowcase and running it hrough the washing machine (no detergent, of course!), but I'm not that tight, lol. You can buy rolls of the stuff for pond filters quite cheap on Ebay and just cut off the amount you need.