In-tank Tetra Whisper filter (2.5 gallon)

[borracho]

So, I bought a used 2.5 fish tank that came with this filter. I thought it would have a filter medium in there, but all it has is the filter cartridge. I was hoping I could just put in a new cartridge and have a established filter medium (as the seller said he's been running it for 3 months) already, but now it seems that will not work..

How do you maintain the bacteria colony every time you change the filter cartridge?

 

[OrangeCones]

You don't. Most filter manufacturers tell you to change them every few weeks, as they just want you to buy more of their products.

There is no reason to change the filter media unless it is physically falling apart. As you do a water change, swish the media in the water before you toss the water out, then put it back in the filter.

If you DO need to replace it, put the new media behind the old one if there is room for a few weeks, then remove the old one.

If there is not room, some have had luck with placing the old media inside a mesh bag and temporarily hanging it in the aquarium, and putting the new media in the filter. This would give the bacteria time to establish itself on the new media.

I hope this helps. What plans do you have for the tiny tank?

 

[borracho]

Thanks so much for the response. That's very informative. The guy from whom I bought this had 2 goldfish in there since August, and the water was really dirty. It was no surprise when I saw the filter cartridge equally filthy. It has turned pink (from fish waste I assume) from white. I cleaned inside the tank and rinse the gravel a couple of times. I filled it up with clean water and measured ammonia, and it is at 1.0ppm even after a complete water change. I'm not sure why, but I guess it's dirty inside the filter as well.. I'm gonna let it run for a day and test again on Friday.

I want to put small shrimp in the small tank, but the fish stores sells them for at least 6 dollars each.. I might just turn it into a small tank to raise fry I get from my zebrafish and cherry barbs or something. But I really want to keep shrimp in there. The little buggers look so funny.

 

[Popplefish]

I use some filters that require changing. That suggestion from OrangeCones to put the new filter bag behind the old one for a week or two is what I do. On my 55 gallon I also have two filters, and so I change or rinse out the filter medium every 6 weeks, but I stagger it, so there is one biological filtration setup always going.

 

[borracho]

How does your dwar pufferfare in the 2.5g? They look really fun (but apparenty vicious).

 

[bassbonediva]

I want to put small shrimp in the small tank, but the fish stores sells them for at least 6 dollars each.. I might just turn it into a small tank to raise fry I get from my zebrafish and cherry barbs or something. But I really want to keep shrimp in there. The little buggers look so funny.

$6?! Really?! Are they bamboo shrimp?

http://www.planetinverts.com/bamboo_shrimp2.jpg

Those are kind of expensive at Petco (the only place around here that sells them), but most places sell ghost shrimp for less than a dollar a piece...and cherry shrimp aren't much more than that.

As for changing the filter media, like OrangeCones said, changing it once a month is complete BS used by the manufacturers to make more money. I have had filter media in my filters for up to six months before it needed to be replaced. I just did what OrangeCones said and cleaned it in the old tank water during a water change when it needed it. I've found the cartidges to be really easy to deal with (I run mostly Penguin/Eclipse filters in my tanks).

 

[Popplefish]

The dwarf seems to do fine. He's got places to hide and the water stays constant. I use a turkey baster turned water cleaner to suck up the big stuff and about once every 2 months I do an almost complete water change. I'm think about getting a shrimp for him to have a friend, or maybe a pygmy catfish/oto

 

[borracho]

$6?! Really?! Are they bamboo shrimp?

No, they're red crystal shrimp. They also have cherry shrimp for 4 dollars, but I think that's still over priced. Their RCS seem to be very poor grade, on top of that, so it's not worth the money.