FishProfiles.com Message Forums

My tank is a little over a month old and my levels are just stabalizing. I have been doing weekly 25% water changes but now it is time for a filter change. Do I do both and risk lowering my good bacteria levels significantly putting the inhabitants of my tank at risk. Or should I not worry about that?

Any suggestions or advise welcomed!

how big is the tank? smaller tanks (like 10 gallons) may crash easier and I would advise against it, but if it is a bigger tank, then it shouldn't hurt, but I would wait about another week to be safe. Hope that helps Jess

Fish are like potato chips. . .you can't have just one

Like dreamseeker said, it depends on tank size. Also, what are your water parameters? And what fish do you have in the tank?

*Kristin*

Other than the tank size what filter/s are you refering to
What do you mean be "filter change" are you refering to just cleaning it or replacing the filter its self. It seems rather strange replacing a filter so soon in a new tank. If you are refering to an actual replacement of a filter keep it going until the new filter has built up the bacteria.

If you are refering to washing the filter material/s this should be done in the water you taken out of the tank when doing a water change. I also add a measured amount of a good new bacteria at every water change to keep the good bacteria in its origional state.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

Personally if I find the filter flow rate is getting compromised id give a few of the sponges or filter media a quick rinse in old tank water, nothing more than a quick squeeze in a bucket - that will enable you to shift the detritus a bit without killing the bacterial colony.

If you have an external filter its worth checking the tubing first, and giving them a quick clean.Even a small amount of algae in the tubes can create a huge amount of friction and can slow the flow to more than half of its original rate. You may find that its the tubing and not the filter media that is clogged.

Whatever you do make sure you can do it with the filter turned off for only 5 minutes or so, because stopping the flow for a longer period of time really will affect a young bacterial colony badly. Dont be tempted to clean filter media with tapwater, the chlorine will kill the bacteria almost instantly, and make sure any water changes you do are with dechlorinated and conditioned tapwater or rainwater. Id hold off on the water change for a couple of days and give the filter media a day or two to pick up a bit. A water change wont help if the filter is clogged, it will quickly go dirty again, and if the filter is clear theres no need to worry too much. Only do a water change if youre worried about nitrite and ammonia spikes, if nitrate is your concern you can probably get away with waiting it out a few days.

Skip a water change & instead to a filter change.


http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/s8xi5heh/my_photos
http://www.geocities.com/s8xi5heh/classic_blue.html
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/buzaqq/
http://www.deathbydyeing.org/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/corydoras/
Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970.
http://www.maltaaquarist.com