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I have two Regent Aqua-Tech waterfall style filters that I bought at Wal Mart. They are cartridge-based filters with all the media packed up in one little disposable unit. My question is, do I really want to change these things every 2-4 weeks like the package instructs? When water flow becomes reduced and a cartridge change is a must will I not lose all my biological filtration in the process? Are there any ways to preserve bacteria and still change the cartridge?

Thanks,
Plan.

you don't need to change them hardly at all. just rinse them out in tank water after doing a water change. this will get the gunk out and then replace. when the filter media gets really bad you can replace it.

since it's the only filter you're using, it will be good to dose some new improved cycle after rinsing them out to replace any bacteria that may be lost.

I have a similar filter, What I do if I'm running carbon is to dump the carbon out, flip the floss pouch, then rinse it in used tank water as was mentioned. If any of the carbon sticks I'll pullit off with my fingers, then refil the floss pouch.
If I'm not running carbon I just pull the sleeve off squeeze it out and replace it over the frame.
HTH a bit .

^_^

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These are aqua-tec filters, not whisper filters, so what babel says will work for the whisper style, it's not gonna be accurate for the aqua-tec versions.

I do what ever does, just kinda sipon some tank water out of the tank either when they get clogged or during a water change. Then just kinda mooshle the cartridge around in the water to remove the gunk. If you're worried about the carbon leaching all the stuff it adsorbed from the tank back into it (what babel eluded to by advising to dump it) you can slit open the cartridge and can the used up stuff. Replace with fresh. You can either sew it back up or pray it doesn't fall apart.

Replace when they clog up real quickly and/or fall apart or both