Will replacing filter media cause my tank to re-cycle?

Your tank has other elements in it that will cause the environment to stay stable - for example, if you have gravel, said gravel already has a healthy dose of bacteria keeping the biological environment healthy.

replacing filter media is advisable after some time has passed - just make sure they are clean before using them. Normally, what I do is clean my filters (sponge and others) with water coming from the tank itself - this ensures I do not accidentally add chlorine into the filter. I naturally time my filter cleaning with some changing of the tank's water.

You may also want to check your filter parts for obstructions - just be careful in dismantling the removable parts, and clean them as well using tank water.

Aside from that, you may want to try using other filters - cerramic filters are likewise good to use. Peat can ba a natural bilogical filter - though it turns your water brownish.

Bottom line is after about a semester, it would be a good idea to change some of your filter's contents... after all, charcoal can get spent too. The sponge is longer lasting, and you need not replace it until it really looks dillapidated.

But I wouldn't worry too much about your tank's filter having harmful effects on your fish after cleaning. But to be on the safe side, make sure you don't have very sensitive fish or any frys. To lessen the change's impact, try to make sure you don't change more than 10% of your water.

This opinion is gathered from experience with a Fluval filter, and I would like to thank a few noble fishes who sacrificed their lives to teach me some lessons on tank filter cleaning - don't worry, there were not too many casualties.

Keep the old media in. Slip the new media behind it. Let it go for a few days while the bacteria builds on the new media, then switch them up and get rid of the old media. Only do this if you truly cant clean the old one enough to not block the flow. You should be fine.

Hopefully you filter has enough room for both media. I dont have your model, but most of my filters do have the room.

My idea......

Remove the filter and check the motor for slight blockage.

Clean the filter box if necessary.

Gently rinse the sponges and carbon pads out.

Upon reassembling the filter and pads put it back in the tank and churn up the stones quite a bit then let the tank settle down again.

That should work.

If you do need to replace the pads, do 1 then after a few days do the other.

fingers crossed for you :-)

There's a lot of bacteria that live in your gravel so doing some changes to your filter shouldn't cause any big problem. Charcoal in a filter is really unnecessary unless you are trying to remove medication or some toxin. It actually can cause problems because it does build up toxins and release them back into the tank.

Have you checked that your intake tube isn't obstructed? You need to take it off and clean it out once in awhile too. It builds up gunk and algae in it.

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maby you should just replace some of it