Changing filter beds...

[tediumsdream]

Hey guys,

I was wondering how often I should change the filter cartridges on my filters, I have 2 emperor 400's on a 90 gallon tank, finished cycling and now I have a 2 inch flowerhorn and 2 inch texas in it. Shouldn't change too often yet right?

Any help would be great

[chc]

One key benefit of an Emperor vs. other power filters is its use of a bio-wheel for its primary biological filtration. The bio-wheel is not disturbed when you change cartridges, so the bio-capability of the filter is not disturbed in most cases.

That said, I don't usually press the issue by changing all of my filter media at one time. I will change the left cartridge in a 400 one week and the right cartridge the next week. I like to get the organics out of the system as soon as possible (out of the tank doesn't mean out of the system; dirty filter cartridges are just as bad as dirty gravel, etc.; the waste just continues to break down and pollute the water).

I do not generally use the manufacturers cartridges though; I make my own so that I do not have to use carbon all the time. Also, the cost is much cheaper thus making weekly changes still relatively inexpensive. With a little ingenuity, you can really improve the cost effectiveness and the efficiency of the filter.

[Rex Karr]

What do you make them out of, chc? The filter media that is.

[chc]

There are a couple of things I've tried.

In the first slot, one way I do it is to remove the floss from a standard cartridge with a razor blade. Then I silicone velcro along the edges of the frame. Once dry, I can simply use cut to fit filter pads on the original frame (held in place by the velcro). The pads can be purchased in bulk to keep costs down. Also, you don't have to use carbon if you don't want to. An alternative to the velcro is to use rubber bands. Not as easy to replace floss, but sometimes the velcro doesn't stick to the frame well.

Most of the time I modify the media containers for use in the second slot. On most of my tanks I have crushed coral in the container covered with a piece of micron filter pad (cut to fit the inside dimension and held in place by the friction created when you close the container). The coral serves as a good buffer and eventually becomes colonized with bacteria. Sometimes I cut PolyFilter to fit the slots in the media container, and I'll use carbon to remove medications, etc. The micron pad keeps whatever you put in the container fresh, and the water is sparklingly clear.

Lately, I've been experimenting with other uses for the media containers in the first slot (mechanical filtration). I've found it much easier to have extras on hand ready to go with floss pads in them. You can either friction fit loose floss inside, use one half of the container with a floss pad rubber banded to the container, or try my latest experiment.....

I've been able to remove most of the small vents from one side of the containers to allow large particulate waste into the frame. Then I've carved out the inside structure with a Dremel blade to create basically a large cavity inside the containers. Inside I use a cut to fit pad, a micron pad, and PolyFilter or crushed coral if necessary. It's kind of tough to do at first, but if you have extras built... it works. Now I buy large amounts of floss, micron pads, media containers, etc. so that I can always have an extra set ready to go. It makes changing cartridges cheap (although the initial cost of extra containers can be rather high depending on the number of filters you have), and maintenance is fast.

All in all, I was looking for an easy and inexpensive way to be able to change out the mechanical portion of the filter weekly. I'm sure there is a better way, but it may take some time and experimentation to find it. Still, I haven't purchased a manufactured cartridge in some time now. This is all possible because there is a great deal of room to modify the Emperor filters.