Sadly one of the cories, that was not eating, died this morning. I did a water change and the water is still a bit cloudy. I just changed to filter at the begining of the week so I guess i won't be doing that for a long time. The parameters are still the same. Should I continue with the water changes weekly or sooner?
The big cleaning.
- Thread starter kirizarry
- Start date
That's right, laura. I usually only replace my filter cartridge when it starts to fall apart. One thing about using carbon (can't remember if I heard it on here or where)...you can cut open your filter cartridge and dump the carbon out. Then, you can put the carbon in a nylon stocking (like a knee-high) and stick it in your filter. That way, it's easier to change. 
http://www.aqueonproducts.com/assets/009/11583.pdf
That blue thing in the picture is where the good bacteria grow. The cartridge is designed to be replaced as you are currently doing.
Incorrect, that is actually to disperse the water flow so that it is both quieter and slows down the total flow so that your fish aren't fighting the filter. It also allows you to easily use a filter larger than what is "rated" for your tank with no bad effects to your fish.
How do I know? I have an aqueon 30!
Thanks blue_ram, but no, that's not my filter. I have an Eclipse Biowheel. There is a compartment to put a new filter cartridge that has both sponge and carbon in it - the water runs over it and through the actual biowheel back into the tank - the biowheel is never cleaned or changed.
Thinking on that, I'm wondering if my biowheel is where the good bacteria stay even if I change my filter cartridge the way I was originally instructed to do when I first set up this tank? Or maybe the idea of changing the cartridge every 3 weeks is just a way to sell product?
Thinking on that, I'm wondering if my biowheel is where the good bacteria stay even if I change my filter cartridge the way I was originally instructed to do when I first set up this tank? Or maybe the idea of changing the cartridge every 3 weeks is just a way to sell product?
Yes and no to the BioWheel question, laura. Some of the good bacteria resides on your BioWheel, but not enough to make a difference. The majority of it resides in your filter media. Honestly, the whole "replace your cartridge every three weeks" is a marketing ploy to make more money. I had an Eclipse 1 system (18gal tank) and I have an Eclipse Hex5 tank right now, both with the BioWheel. As soon as I'd change the filter cartridge in either tank, everything would go all haywire in the tank (this was back before I knew about cycling and not changing filter media, etc) and I'd get horrible algae and have some seriously unhappy fishes.
Exactly! The only reason I have the carbon still in my current filter cartridge is because I'm trying to rid my tank of tannins from one of the pieces of driftwood in there, but I need to take out the carbon 'cuz it's probably useless now. I only replace my filter cartridge when it's starting to fall apart (i.e.-when I rinse it in the old tank water, little pieces of blue filter floss come off).
Ammonia is the initial stage of the nitrogen cycle. It is important to know what it is, as a spike in ammonia may not be followed by a spike in nitrite or nitrate for days or weeks. By the time you see a spike in nitrite, your fish may have been suffering from ammonia poisoning long enough to cause permanent damage or death.
Just my 2cents.
OC
Just my 2cents.
OC
I was just thinking the same as cones.
You really should check your ammonia levels so i'd get a kit to test for it if i was you, i didn't really know much about the cycle until recently though i'd had goldfish for years only really learned about it as i got a new tank and lost a couple down to ammonia poisoning or new tank syndrome as some call it.
You really should check your ammonia levels so i'd get a kit to test for it if i was you, i didn't really know much about the cycle until recently though i'd had goldfish for years only really learned about it as i got a new tank and lost a couple down to ammonia poisoning or new tank syndrome as some call it.