Changing a filter

[ccondardo]

I have a aqua clear HOB filter. It doesn't use cartridges but the black back, the white sponge, and the white rocks. I know one is a carbon type thing, but I forget the details. Anyways, my tank wans't cleaning and since I have a filter which can go up to 50g, in a 14g tank I figured something was amiss. Realizing it had been about 3-4 months since i got it, i opened up the filter and changed only the white sponge. Should I change the other parts as well?

Thanks!

~Corey

 

[pigpen]

if you change all at same time you would loose most of your bacteria.i am no expert on this but i would change them at seperate intervals long enough apart for the bacteria to grow on the new parts

 

[epond83]

the white rocks is your bio media, you don't want to change this, only rinse it in dechloranated water, or like most do tank water. the sponge can be rinsed in any water and should be done more often then the bio media.

Theses area great filters and with matnaince they should work well.

 

[ccondardo]

what about the black pouch?

 

[seastaar88]

IMHO I wouldn't bother with carbon. I only run filter floss in my HOBs and sponges in my canister filter (I run a Rena XP2 canister and two whisper 10 hobs on my 20g).

I would rinse the sponge in dechlorinated water too - it also holds bacteria. Tap water (chlorinated water) will kill off the bacteria. I rinse my filter floss/sponges in tank water from water changes.

 

[epond83]

Yeah as mentioned most people don't bother with carbon, I left it out on my aqua clear and had extra biomedia laying around so i was able to put extra in the net bag thing and probably doubled the amount. So now my filter which is rated for a 50 and is on a 40 can handle quite the bioload (given it's rate of flow)