Filter Help

[Hoolio521]

Hello,

I have a fluval 305 canister filter for my 46 gallon bowfront. REcently i also set up a 10 gallon sump as well. As of now i have both running (figuring it couldn't hurt to have both going) I haven't replaced the media in my filter in a while and was wondering whether it would be better to take it all out and just let the water run through the filter and foam pads just to circulate and oxygenate the water. Or is it better to leave the old media in it even if it is probably used up. Also i think i may have bio balls somewhere around my house. should i consider putting those in the filter? It's a salt water tank, basically fish only with live rock ... couple mushrooms here and there and some inverts. Thanks for the help!

 

[bruma bull]

id use filter pads like a sock in the sump to catch large particals, plus carbon wont hurt but u should change from time to time

 

[Hoolio521]

I have a filter sock and chemi pure in the sump but i was more talking about the canister filter. Is it better to leave the old media in it or should i jsut take them out and leave the filter empty but have water run through it?

 

[anthony27]

well how long is the tank up and running, also the canister filter needs to be cleaned frequenly. I would add chemi pure in there and also a bag of phosband

 

[Awibrandy]

Your canister filter is a nitrate factory! If you want to continue to use it turn it into a reactor. Meaning take all the media out of it, and throw your carbon in it instead. If you like you can also put a phos remover media in it as well. But just so that you know Carbon needs to be replaced more frequently then the phos media. So if you can find a way of seperating them so that you can take the carbon out without disturbing the phos media great.
If you decide to keep the media you now have in the canister be aware that you MUST clean it on a weekly basis.

Have you checked your nitrates lately?