changing filter medium without biological losses?

[Fish_King_25]

Hey all,

I am currently running a fluval 405 canister with carbon and pads for filtration on my 30g, and I was wondering approx. how often I should be cleaning and changing filter medium (carbon bags) and what exactly is the best method for doing so without losing my biologicals.

Thanks!

 

[TX..r33f]

Hi! first i would think about a sump 10 gallon. you would be doing your tank and you a favor. But if you cant i was running a canister filter in mine a while back befor i built my sump. I put some bioballs in my canister. these collected good bacteria. I changed all the filter pads every 1-2months but i didnt wash the bioballs. you can get some bio balls for around $10 for 50 of them. Also depends one your stocking and how dirty your tank gets to know when to change out filter pads and stuff.

 

[Fish_King_25]

do you think I could do bioballs and carbon bags or just 100% bioballs. It has 4 levels or chambers. 2 chambers have biopellets in them (white pellets in bags) and two have carbon bags I think? I do not know how to build a sump or where to get one OR how expensive they are.

 

[TX..r33f]

no you denfintly need some filter pads carbom and bio balls. the little white things are not bioballs but they act the same. so i would do filterpad,biopellets,carbon

 

[TX..r33f]

for th sump you can go to petco pets mart and buy a 10g tank thats all. or even look on craigslist. is this a reef or fowlr tank?? if a reef all of your heater skimmer ect, will go in the sump. wont make your tank look cluttered.

 

[Fish_King_25]

I am highly interested in this sump setup were talking about. It is currently a FO...but I am making it a reef (no corals as of yet) so perhaps a sump is a good idea. What do I have to do once I have this 10g tank?

 

[unkel j]

I would not run filter pads. They get dirty fast and then all of your water is running through dirty filter pads. If you do run pads you should clean them often. I would clean them once a week at the least.
As far as cleaning things without loosing bacteria, just clean them with water out of the aquarium only.