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Lee asked in PetsFish · 1 decade ago

How often do you replace the filter cartridge your fish tank filter?

There's a filter cartridge i put inside the filter and i was interested in when you replace yours?

10 Answers

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  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    i replace mine once a month but i wash it every week to prevent 2 much ammonia from buildin up. if you replace it every 2 weeks u will waste too much money just replace it every month but wash it every week. You see most of the good bacteria that the fish need to survive is in the filter cartridge if you replace it than you are making the fish lose wastes that they need to survive which is also found in the gravel, plants and deco, that is why siphon cleaning is only good to do once every 2 months, if you remove too much of this bacteria the fish can die or get sick, that is why its dangerous to move your fish into another tank with completely different water, but just wash it with only water every week to remove the harmful bacteria this way it wont completely remove the good ones.Hope i helped

  • ?
    Lv 4
    5 years ago

    The Filter Fish

  • Anonymous
    5 years ago

    As needed. Unless the water flow is being restricted by a bunch of crap in the filter, there's really no reason to remove it. Even then, you can usually just run swish the cartridge around in a bucket of tank water (the chlorine in tap water will kill the beneficial bacteria) to remove the crud.

  • 1 decade ago

    It normally needs to be replaced every 3 to 4 weeks. Make sure you have carbon in your filter since it eliminates the smell of the fish.

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  • 1 decade ago

    I don't... I removed the carbon (useless) and just rinse it off in the water I remove during my weekly water changes to keep it from getting clogged.

    the filter pad is where most of the good bacteria lives, replacing it means the tank needs to go through another mini cycle (seeded from the bacteria that lives on the gravel and decor). they only recommend you replace it often to make more money...

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    I only change mine every three months unless the water quality starts going bad. I the gunk off every month and a half. I test the water once a week. My fish are doing great and seem to be really happy. The water stays clear and the parameters all stay where they should.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Never have...And one of my filters is coming up on 5 years old.

    Just ditch the carbon and rinse them out in old tank water.

    That brown gunge on the filter, thats the Biological part of "Biofilter", keep throwing that away and you will never keep your tank cycled properly.

    Ian

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    you change it once a month

    you rinse it once a week

    u must change it or the fish will die peole who dont change the filter are hurting the poor little fishes

    Source(s): fish freak
  • 1 decade ago

    i replace mine every 4 weeks, and i wash them out once a week

  • 1 decade ago

    every 2 weeks

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