Quick Question...

[fiki]

Cycling is the creation of beneficial bacteria in the filter... right?

so if you cycle a tank w/ those quickchange filters (has carbon pellet things and a sponge on the top) how often do you change the filter? do you ever change the filter? doesn't it defeat the purpose because the filter you are replacing has the bacteria in it?

comments? thanks

[edit]

it recomends a filter change every 2-4 weeks (but w/ an uncycled tank)

 

[Liam]

Just use filter sponge, carbon is really only useful if you want to remove medication or other temporary pollutants from the water. The company that makes the quickchange filters would like you to change them often. As you say the filter bacteria is the most important thing, just rinse the sponges in old tank water so the bacteria stay alive, the sponge lasts years.

 

[fiki]

yea thats what i was thinking - but if you look at the filters - they carbon is connected to a chamber below the sponge - =\

what i was thinking was to maybe cut the carbon out and use it only when (knocks on wood) the fishies get sick