Hey everyone,
I have been getting many conflicting stories from people about this, so I wanted to ask the forum to see what you thought. For both the 10 gallon and 20 gallon tanks, I have the Tetra Whisper filters. When I look at the packaging, it says to replace it each month.
That seems a little excessive; I have seen some people who say that they replace their filter cartridge anywhere between a month or a year.
I have not changed the filter in both tanks for about 9 months. The water quality is still excellent and I have clear water. I swish the cartridge in water every week to clean it. However, my cartridge is starting to look dirty and it has taken a brownish shade. I even have some algae growing on it now.
Considering that the used filter is home to many beneficial bacteria, how do I go about changing it for a fresh one safely? I have been enjoying a stable tank here and I would not want to cause a drastic change because of changing the filter.
I have been getting many conflicting stories from people about this, so I wanted to ask the forum to see what you thought. For both the 10 gallon and 20 gallon tanks, I have the Tetra Whisper filters. When I look at the packaging, it says to replace it each month.
That seems a little excessive; I have seen some people who say that they replace their filter cartridge anywhere between a month or a year.
I have not changed the filter in both tanks for about 9 months. The water quality is still excellent and I have clear water. I swish the cartridge in water every week to clean it. However, my cartridge is starting to look dirty and it has taken a brownish shade. I even have some algae growing on it now.
Considering that the used filter is home to many beneficial bacteria, how do I go about changing it for a fresh one safely? I have been enjoying a stable tank here and I would not want to cause a drastic change because of changing the filter.