Upgrading my filter.

[scottmck1988]

HI I have seen a few youtube videos that show getting the best from your filter. Almost every video I see tells you to use coarse sponge, medium pad / fine pad and some bio media.

I am wondering what is the best way to remove the current stuff in my filter and replace it with the new pads etc. I cant see anyway of doing it without losing the beneficial bacteria.

Its a 54 litre tank with the filter that came with it.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00HFTFP3Q/?tag=

 

[PheonixKingZ]

You can remove the old media by simply taking it out.

The beneficial bacteria (bb) will stay alive as long as you don’t rinse it in tap water. Tap water will kill the bb.

What media do you have in there now? (Is it a cartridge?)

 

[seangee]

Is the filter not doing the job? If its reducing ammonia and nitrite to 0 there is no need for an upgrade.
What is fantastic marketing is you paid £19 for a filter and the vendor has a recurring regular sale of £7 to replace the media, which as you suggest is not without risks. I have a similar filter and never bothered using the original cartridge. I just used cheap filter sponge, cut it to size and put it where the cartridge goes. If your filter is set up as they suggest replace the cartridge with a piece of sponge and leave the bio media and algae pad as they are. A month later you can remove the algae pad (a second piece of sponge is optional at that stage). The bio media can stay forever - just rinse it, and your new sponge(s), weekly.

 

[scottmck1988]

You can remove the old media by simply taking it out.

The beneficial bacteria (bb) will stay alive as long as you don’t rinse it in tap water. Tap water will kill the bb.

What media do you have in there now? (Is it a cartridge?)

Thank you for your reply,

The now I have the stuff that came with the filter I have attached image.

could I take some of the tank water and sort of bath the new pads and sponges in it, or could I maybe even take those cartridges apart and try blend it in with the new pads?

The plan is to remove all of that so its an empty box and layer the new media from bottom to top. copying this video:

Thank you

 

[PheonixKingZ]

could I take some of the tank water and sort of bath the new pads and sponges in it, or could I maybe even take those cartridges apart and try blend it in with the new pads?

I would not take it apart and blend it.

I would use the cartridge from the old filter in the new filter. It may not fit right, but try to push it in there. (Rinse it off in tank water first, before adding it to the new filter.)

You should do this, so your cycle doesn’t crash. The old cartridge is “cycled” in a way. So if you add that to your new filter, along with the new filters media, your tank should stay stable.

 

[Neleono]

If you have the cartage in there now, one with carbon in it, you just need to cut the floss holding the carbon, dump out the carbon and take the floss, and put it under your sponge. The BB in the floss will either move the BB from the floss to the sponge, or just allow the bacteria to multiply on to the sponge. You only need to wait about a month or two and the BB will have moved over to the sponge. This is the video I followed to make my filter reusable:

 

[momsspaghett]

If you're looking for a new filter I would highly suggest the AZOO Mignon Filters. They don't deal with annoying cartridges and you only really need to use ceramic rings and a sponge with the setup. Cycled and cleans my tanks with ease along with it being quite cheap on amazon (about $20). I believe there is a version for smaller tanks such as 10-20gallons along with the option for larger tanks. I currently have the 150 version (I use for my 10 gal) but they also have the 60 version. I would suggest checking those out. They don't take up much room on the tank as they hang off onto the back.

 

[scottmck1988]

thanks for the replys, really appreciate it.