# Filter Media - how often to change?



## [email protected] (Dec 31, 2016)

Hello I am looking for some advice on when to change my filter media it's a new tank. I have a fluval 306 that came with two bags of carbon. Some round pellet things which I think are bio max and some sponges in there. 

I have added 1 bag of zero carb and one bag of clear max. 

I am still in the process of cycling the tank so no fish. Ammonia levels are starting to drop and nitrate starting to increase so getting there. 

How often do I need to change the above and can I put more in if there is space? 

Also what's the best combinations/secret ingredients.

It is a planted tank 240 fluval Roma tank. 

Many thanks. 


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## Dman911 (Nov 24, 2016)

[email protected] said:


> Hello I am looking for some advice on when to change my filter media it's a new tank. I have a fluval 306 that came with two bags of carbon. Some round pellet things which I think are bio max and some sponges in there.
> 
> I have added 1 bag of zero carb and one bag of clear max.
> 
> ...


I typically throw the carbon out after cycling some ppl just leave it in but I would just stick with bio max and some sponges with maybe some poly wool to polish the water. After that just rinse media in the dirty water from water changes and put it back in. If you have tannins in the water you can add some purigen.

Dan


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## [email protected] (Dec 31, 2016)

Dman911 said:


> I typically throw the carbon out after cycling some ppl just leave it in but I would just stick with bio max and some sponges with maybe some poly wool to polish the water. After that just rinse media in the dirty water from water changes and put it back in. If you have tannins in the water you can add some purigen.
> 
> Dan




Don't I need carbon then? Is this only for cycling? Do I need to change the bio max monthly? I will purchase some poly wool. Does having less in the filter increase the flow? Was thinking this filter is not very powerful for a 240 litre tank. 


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## cininohio (Jan 13, 2016)

I haven't changed my filter media in a year, just rinse every 2 or 3 water changes in dirty water change water. I don't use carbon, just sponge and bioballs. I use a bit of filter floss that I toss and replace each water change. Works for me.


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## Dman911 (Nov 24, 2016)

[email protected] said:


> Don't I need carbon then? Is this only for cycling? Do I need to change the bio max monthly? I will purchase some poly wool. Does having less in the filter increase the flow? Was thinking this filter is not very powerful for a 240 litre tank.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


If it were me personally I would remove the carbon as once its cycled. Its probably somewhat debated as to whether or not carbon is beneficial to run constantly in your tank but I personally feel its only good for removing some medications after treatments to the tank or removal of tannins from the water which I prefer purigen for since it is reusable. Carbon is like a sponge that absorbs a maximum amount of contaminants then becomes full and will no longer absorb more but it will still hold some beneficial bacteria, I would replace the carbon with more Bio max after cycling and maybe add some purigen instead if needed. If you have tannins in the water from drift wood etc. and don't like the look of the yellowish/brownish tinge to the water you can add purigen but I wouldn't bother if it doesn't bother you as it doesn't hurt the fish but it can impede lighting to an extent. The poly filter floss is also used to polish the water, it is not needed but some ppl like to keep crystal clear water and usually running both poly wool and purigen will do so.

No you should never have to change the biomax or replace it. It is also important that when you clean your filter that you rinse the filer media (biomax, sponges etc.) in dirty tank water and put it back in. This is because if you wash it in tap water the chlorine and chloramines will kill the nitrifying bacteria. You shouldn't have to replace anything but the poly wool and maybe a sponge every few years if they start breaking down. All of this media (biomax, sponges etc) is where the nitrifying bacteria live so you want to keep them.

Yes less media will increase flow only to a certain point but not beneficial enough to sacrifice less filter media. The important thing is to clean your filter once a month to keep good flow.



Dan


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## [email protected] (Dec 31, 2016)

Dman911 said:


> If it were me personally I would remove the carbon as once its cycled. Its probably somewhat debated as to whether or not carbon is beneficial to run constantly in your tank but I personally feel its only good for removing some medications after treatments to the tank or removal of tannins from the water which I prefer purigen for since it is reusable. Carbon is like a sponge that absorbs a maximum amount of contaminants then becomes full and will no longer absorb more but it will still hold some beneficial bacteria, I would replace the carbon with more Bio max after cycling and maybe add some purigen instead if needed. If you have tannins in the water from drift wood etc. and don't like the look of the yellowish/brownish tinge to the water you can add purigen but I wouldn't bother if it doesn't bother you as it doesn't hurt the fish but it can impede lighting to an extent. The poly filter floss is also used to polish the water, it is not needed but some ppl like to keep crystal clear water and usually running both poly wool and purigen will do so.
> 
> No you should never have to change the biomax or replace it. It is also important that when you clean your filter that you rinse the filer media (biomax, sponges etc.) in dirty tank water and put it back in. This is because if you wash it in tap water the chlorine and chloramines will kill the nitrifying bacteria. You shouldn't have to replace anything but the poly wool and maybe a sponge every few years if they start breaking down. All of this media (biomax, sponges etc) is where the nitrifying bacteria live so you want to keep them.
> 
> ...




Dan a fantastic response. Many thanks. I since adding the new media what a difference in 4 hours the tank is its like I have done a water change but haven't. So much better. Will stick more in and the one you mentioned. This is a side view of a 240 litre tank 










I thought that you had to use uv filter to get the water so clear. Actually making me think it's all in the filter. 


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And front the front of the tank










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## Dman911 (Nov 24, 2016)

[email protected] said:


> And front the front of the tank
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Nice looking tank! I like the scape and looking forward to seeing it once filled in. UV works well for killing that pea soup algae, bacteria and mold. All of those contribute to cloudy water they are nice to have but not necessary but then again neither is Purigen or Poly wool. The nice thing about purigen is once its absorbed its maximum you can renew it with a soak in bleach and its as good as new unlike activated carbon. I don't know if anyone else does this here but I buy my polly wool from Walmart as pillow stuffing its so cheap. just make sure it 100% polyester.

Dan


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## [email protected] (Dec 31, 2016)

Thanks Dan. So in your filter do you put purigen? Then once of month say take it out and soak it in bleach? What kind of bleach? Hydrogen peroxide? Doesn't this kill the good alga too? 


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## Dman911 (Nov 24, 2016)

[email protected] said:


> Thanks Dan. So in your filter do you put purigen? Then once of month say take it out and soak it in bleach? What kind of bleach? Hydrogen peroxide? Doesn't this kill the good alga too?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I ran purigen in all my tanks with driftwood. 

There is no set time to refresh it but you go by color rather when it get really dark then it time to clean it. You soak it in basic household bleach, 1 part bleach to 1 part water till the color returns close to white then rinse it very well and soak it in prime and water for several hours. Just make sure you cannot smell the bleach anymore before you put it back into the filter. 

Yes. it will kill any beneficial bacteria on the purigen but this is a very small amount in comparison to your filter media over all. 


Dan


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## zackariah (Jan 17, 2013)

I personally only open my filters up ever 6mo or so. Like everyone has said carbon sucks up everything to include ferts. It also exhausts quickly only to be a place for your good bacteria to grow. Carbon does not have an ideal surface area so it makes more sense to use the space it takes up with stuff that is better weather it be purigen, filter floss, bio media, etc. 

Nice looking layout.

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## maxhrbal (Mar 19, 2016)

^^good advice all around.
Beautiful tank! Most, if not all, planted tank enthusiasts will not use carbon unless needed in a case by case situation like medicating fish, so it's good to keep some on hand. I agree in that it exhausts itself very quickly in aquariums, I would even say less than a month which is what most manufacturers directions suggest, and if you're dosing ferts, even faster. (An unnecessary, expensive, and wasteful approach to filtering.)

Now I'm not 100% certain on this theory...but I do believe bio media should be replaced sparingly..like every year or so, maybe even much longer. I believe the "pores" will clog and limit water flow, thus reducing the efficiency and the bacteria colonies inside. Even if you rinse it well at water change time, I wouldn't think it's enough to dislodge stuff in the "pores." And the gunk doesn't necessarily dissolve back into the water if there's no water flow, etc. Most people do suggest never changing it though, but I somewhat disagree. 
You're mechanical filter media should be changed at your discretion. The cleaner you keep it the longer it will last, but they will deteriorate. Don't be fooled by the stained color, it's just stained and isn't an issue. In a healthy tank, wash it every month or so or every 6 months like mentioned, it depends on your tank and stuff. Polishing media(the really fine stuff,) needs to be changed more frequently in my experience as it's tough to clean well, and quickly loses its effectiveness and severely reduces water flow. All in all, use your judgement and common sense based on your situation and knowledge and what not and you'll be fine. 


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## JuanPeces1508 (Dec 18, 2015)

I would ditch the activated carbon and replace them with more bio media. My 02 cents


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## [email protected] (Dec 31, 2016)

Thanks all. I will take on the advice and throw out the carbon. Maybe also get some more bio media to add to the existing. 

Is this the Purgen that you was on about? Does it come in filter bags.









I can get some from my local store today. 




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## Dman911 (Nov 24, 2016)

[email protected] said:


> Thanks all. I will take on the advice and throw out the carbon. Maybe also get some more bio media to add to the existing.
> 
> Is this the Purgen that you was on about? Does it come in filter bags.
> 
> ...


Yes that the stuff. The 100ml will be good for your size tank and should come in bag already. 

Just to touch on the poly wool again if your tank was cloudy you may have to rinse or change it very often until it clears up. 

Dan


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## [email protected] (Dec 31, 2016)

Dman911 said:


> Yes that the stuff. The 100ml will be good for your size tank and should come in bag already.
> 
> 
> 
> Dan




Perfect. 

Thanks Dan. So I will remove the Carbon and put this in. 


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## Dman911 (Nov 24, 2016)

maxhrbal said:


> ^^good advice all around.
> Beautiful tank! Most, if not all, planted tank enthusiasts will not use carbon unless needed in a case by case situation like medicating fish, so it's good to keep some on hand. I agree in that it exhausts itself very quickly in aquariums, I would even say less than a month which is what most manufacturers directions suggest, and if you're dosing ferts, even faster. (An unnecessary, expensive, and wasteful approach to filtering.)
> 
> Now I'm not 100% certain on this theory...but I do believe bio media should be replaced sparingly..like every year or so, maybe even much longer. I believe the "pores" will clog and limit water flow, thus reducing the efficiency and the bacteria colonies inside. Even if you rinse it well at water change time, I wouldn't think it's enough to dislodge stuff in the "pores." And the gunk doesn't necessarily dissolve back into the water if there's no water flow, etc. Most people do suggest never changing it though, but I somewhat disagree.
> ...



maxhrbal makes some good points.


I agree that the biomedia may clog up some over time reducing the amount of surface area the bacteria has to grow on however in my opinion its all relative to the bioload and I feel in today aquariums we are providing excess filtration (which is good), so even with the reduced surface area there should be more than enough surface area for the bacteria. I have no idea nor claim to know the numbers on exactly how much media is needed, but one way you could tell if this is happening is if your tests are showing ammonia and nitrites for an extended period of time without a change to the bioload in a mature tank, this would indicate there is possibly not sufficient surface area to house the bacteria. I guess if you have a high bioload and minimal biomedia there will come a tipping point at which this happens but at what point I don't know, I have never seen it myself but it is certainly possible. 


Just my reason for not changing biomedia but it definitely would not hurt and in some cases help to do so.


100% agree with the polishing media this needs to be checked/changed often especially when just starting to use it or it can definitely slow your flow.


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## [email protected] (Dec 31, 2016)

This forum is fantastic. I have two posts and everyone is so helpful. I am doing another water change tonight levels up again since water change yesterday. See below.









And I will be using some hydrogen peroxide to kill the green algae.
























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## zackariah (Jan 17, 2013)

I could have swore I read a thread on recharging bio media with bleach much like is done with purigen. I have never tried this as I just rinse my coco puffs really well using my hands to rub off some of the media. 

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## Dman911 (Nov 24, 2016)

zackariah said:


> I could have swore I read a thread on recharging bio media with bleach much like is done with purigen. I have never tried this as I just rinse my coco puffs really well using my hands to rub off some of the media.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk



I used to use a diluted 10% muriatic acid solution to clean my airstones as eventually the get a little plugged up from algae. Its eats any organic matter like no tomorrow. I would imagine if one wanted to attempt to clean their filter media using it, I would assume it would do a much better job than bleach but maybe someone here can confirm if this has been done on filter media?


Dan


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## zackariah (Jan 17, 2013)

^ That sounds like it would work better. I personally do not use any chemicals to clean my media. And I buy new purigen every 6mo when I open my canisters. But in the spirit of the thread I thought I would throw that in.

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## Dman911 (Nov 24, 2016)

[email protected] said:


> This forum is fantastic. I have two posts and everyone is so helpful. I am doing another water change tonight levels up again since water change yesterday. See below.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Or you could leave the algae as it doesn't look like its out of control or attacking the plants and wait for the tank to finish cycling, then add some otto's or shrimp or Nerite snails so they have something to eat. I'm not sure what your stocking plans are so that would play a factor in my decision if it was me. If its growing on the plants you could just remove them and give them a dip in 3% hydrogen peroxide solution. Up to you but I find keeping things as simple as possible works best for me but that's the beauty of aquariums there are lots of ways to deal with different situations and we have choices.


Dan

Bump:


zackariah said:


> ^ That sounds like it would work better. I personally do not use any chemicals to clean my media. And I buy new purigen every 6mo when I open my canisters. But in the spirit of the thread I thought I would throw that in.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk



Always good to throw info at a forum. It makes for debate which is a much faster way to learn then on ones own. I know I would still be trying to figure out how to add water to my tank if it weren't for forums like these.


Dan


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## 88blkiroc (Jan 5, 2017)

I had a little cloudiness to my water that wasn't going away. I tossed a bag of Purigen as the top layer in my filter and within hours the water was crystal clear. This stuff is fantastic! Your tank looks great by the way!


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## [email protected] (Dec 31, 2016)

Thanks. I took the leafy plant out as I wanted to keep the scene as it was and will look good hopefully once the carpet is done







and the Christmass moss grows back fully 


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