Changing your Filter
A new filter should run in parallel with the old filter and not be directly replaced. Run the filters together for approximately two to three weeks. This gives the new filter‘s biologically active microorganisms the chance to be sufficiently developed before they can start effectively decomposing ammonia and nitrite in the aquarium.
Changing your Filter’s Filter Media
Every aquarium is different, so your filtration needs are unique. Get the most out of your filter by customizing your set-up to meet your needs for a healthy and thriving aquatic environment. You can change the foams to ones with different densities, increase/decrease the amount of a specific foam, add chemical filtration, etc. If you are replacing filter media in a filter that has been running, we recommend you replace media incrementally. First replace one of the multiple filter foams, after two weeks replace the next one, and so on. If you replace foams all at once, the filter will not be completely active for several weeks, because regrowth of bacterial cultures takes some time.
Types of Filter media
There are different types of filter media inside your filter that clean water using mechanical, biological or chemical filtration:
- Pre-filter foams remove debris prior to water entering the main body of the filter, reducing filter maintenance.
- Filter foams provide both mechanical and biological filtration for cleaner, healthier water for aquarium inhabitants.
- Fleece filter media trap extremely fine particles and debris as they pass through the filter.
- Ceramic filter media provides a high surface area for beneficial bacteria to colonize. These bacteria effectively breakdown debris and waste particles which ultimately results in cleaner, healthier water for your aquarium inhabitants.
- Activated carbon helps remove cloudy water, harmful metals, odors, tannins or other colors for clear, pure water.
- Phosphate Binder is a strong, fast acting buffer that reduces phosphate levels to solve algae problems.
- Hel-X Biomedia provides fluid media movement, ideal nutrient reduction and removal of toxins, and an extremely large, protected settlement surface for microorganisms.
Filter media options can be found here.