Filter Media?

[airborne82]

I have a Jebo large canister filter and another small canester filter for additional filtration on my 75. The tank has a pleco 6in oscar 9in JD 5in Green Terror 3in and a 4in SD. I perform 10% water changes about 5 days a week I gravel vack half the tank on every other water change so the entire tank is vacked during the course of a week. I perform filter mantenence once a week alternating filters so each one gets done every two weeks. I perform no water changes on filter mantence days but I do run a marineland H.O.T. micron filter to polish the water and pickup any debrie that may get kicked up during filter mantence. My water always tests soft and acidic Nitrite 0 and Nitrate very low. I have several questions

1 what do you think of my basic mantence? dose it need any adjustments?

2 I noticed my Jebo had the ceramic bio media in it but not quite enough to cover the bottom of the tray. should I add more? how much more? would this decrease water flow and be counterproductive or would it help incrase bio filtration?

3 I have another smaller canester filter I dont feel I need to run carbon in this because I feel I have more than enough chemical filtration in my large Jebo which is factory rated for I think a 150gal tank. I want to repalce the carbon in this small canester with some of the same bio media I was thinking of adding to the Jebo.

4 the box of fluval bio media I bought said to replace part of your bio media every 6 months. What do you think of this practice should this be replaced if so how often?

Thanks for your help in advance! Hope I gave you enough backround info.

 

[airborne82]

I value your opinion guys!

 

[airborne82]

bump

 

[tcarswell]

No need to replace the bio media unless its falling apart. Rinse it in tank water only every filter cleaning or every other month if you open your filters often. Also your tank maintenance sounds great. And adding more bio media as long as it fits comfortably I would highly recommend it will only impede the water flow if you pack the rings in way too tight.
One last thing since you have zero nitrites or ammonia adding more bio will only be reassurance not actually neccesary. I would reccomend it though for ammonia spikes or whatever.

Your maintenance is great. I would add as much filtration as you have because of the oscar they are messy so if you got extra filters use them if for no other reason than for mechanical filtration.

 

[airborne82]

Thank you it took 8 hrs but I finaly got an answer to my question. I was begining to think because I wasn't building some monster 1000 gal tank no one cared.

 

[Cholly]

Total agreement with tcarswell. And don't bother with the carbon. Only thing I use it for is removing meds.

 

[tcarswell]

Thank you it took 8 hrs but I finaly got an answer to my question. I was begining to think because I wasn't building some monster 1000 gal tank no one cared.

Glad I could help man.

 

[Water Wolf]

Total agreement with tcarswell. And don't bother with the carbon. Only thing I use it for is removing meds.

I agree, I have never used carbon in any of my filters. When I purchased a new canister filter, I always threw the carbon away and replaced it with more bio balls , ceramic bio material, or pot scrubbers.