- Location
- Fresh meadows
55 gallon african cichlid tank.
4 - yellow labs
1 - p. acei
2 - red zebras
(in a few months I will slowly be adding 7 p. aeci that are growing in a 20 gallon tank)
I have the Aqueon? Power Filter QuietFlow 50 with the Aqueon Filter Cartridges. They do a decent job, I have had fish live with no issues in my tank for over a year. My only issue is the filter cartridges. They clean out the waste in my tank and turn brown. I try to clean them in a bucket of water from my tank. I swish it around and gently tap the bottom of the bucket with the cartridge. The water will turn brown from all the waste collected. I could do it for a few minutes, while changing the bucket water 2-3 times. It will still be full of waste and the cartridge remains brown. I have read that sponges are better, they will filter out the waste from the water and grow more beneficial bacteria.
My question is should I leave my filter the way it is or change it? I was thinking of replaceming the cartrigdges with filter sponges or something else but, I am unsure as to what to change it to.
Reasons to switch:
Can find media that are easier to clean, leading to less ammonia in the tank.
More surface space for beneficial bacteria. The cartridges for the filter are small and do not have large surface area.
Filter cartridges are hard to clean well.
Cheaper replacements.
Reasons not to switch:
It fits perfectly and I know no problems will arise.
It has done a good job keeping my fish alive and happy.
4 - yellow labs
1 - p. acei
2 - red zebras
(in a few months I will slowly be adding 7 p. aeci that are growing in a 20 gallon tank)
I have the Aqueon? Power Filter QuietFlow 50 with the Aqueon Filter Cartridges. They do a decent job, I have had fish live with no issues in my tank for over a year. My only issue is the filter cartridges. They clean out the waste in my tank and turn brown. I try to clean them in a bucket of water from my tank. I swish it around and gently tap the bottom of the bucket with the cartridge. The water will turn brown from all the waste collected. I could do it for a few minutes, while changing the bucket water 2-3 times. It will still be full of waste and the cartridge remains brown. I have read that sponges are better, they will filter out the waste from the water and grow more beneficial bacteria.
My question is should I leave my filter the way it is or change it? I was thinking of replaceming the cartrigdges with filter sponges or something else but, I am unsure as to what to change it to.
Reasons to switch:
Can find media that are easier to clean, leading to less ammonia in the tank.
More surface space for beneficial bacteria. The cartridges for the filter are small and do not have large surface area.
Filter cartridges are hard to clean well.
Cheaper replacements.
Reasons not to switch:
It fits perfectly and I know no problems will arise.
It has done a good job keeping my fish alive and happy.
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