Do I need to do water changes with this filter or just top it off from time to time? I have 110 gal freshwater with 50 sm-md fish & 20 babies.
1364190
I'd say the filter is only good for a max of 60 gallons. I owned one on a 72gal African cichlid tank and with monthly regular cleaning had to replace the cartridges every other week or if would stop flowing.. Back to good ol fluval 05,06 series and it works like a charm. But with any filter you have to clean regularly.. Just depends how often
1364191
You need to do weekly water changes for any fishtank about 20-30% of the water.
96352
Personally, I try to do 10% water change once a week, but if your chemistries look good (no nitrate or nitrite) you can adjust your water changes accordingly. This filter is still just a filter and is only as good as the media you use. The dipsticks are your best friend so long as you use them as directed. Keep a close eye on nitrates and nitrites and keep the biological portion of your filter in top shape.
1364192
After I purchased this filter I did water changes less often and my water always tested very healthy. So I would say that while you should always do partial water changes you should be able to do them less often.
1743284
I use this in conjunction with an over the top filter. I guess it would depend if the filter media was cycled with good bacteria and how many fish you have.
513814
As Hometown 72 said, each filter has its specific use. I have both fresh water tropical and goldfish ( in different tanks of course). I use the zeolite for the goldfish and carbon for my freshwater tropical. With the marina filter using two filters, I change one out every 1st of the month and then the second one out around the middle of the month. It really helps to keep the tank clean. I buy bulk through amazon and save that way on the cost.
144370
Officially, 40 gallons or every 2 months. However, I think you just need to be a bit creative when using it. First, you need to know the quality of your original water. If the original water is good, you may not need to change so fast. However, if the original water is bad, you may need to replace it faster. The filtered water do give better taste than the original water, so when you the taste of the filtered water turn bad, you may want to consider to change it even it has not reached the 40 gallons / 2 months mark.
2215098
i use this filter on my 10 gal tank with greate results.very crystal clear water filtering system the filters are large but they do a greate job.i have 3 and realy love the job they do.i hope this helps you
771881
I'm sorry, I don't have the original box or directions and can't give you specifics, but I can tell you that I have a 20-gallon tank and this filter system has kept the tank-water crystal clear, continously for the past couple of years. I change the filter about once a month. I keep the old filters, wash them thoroughly, brush them off under running water, being careful to hold the top of the layer of material firmly so that it won't fall off. Then I dry & keep them, in order to put back in the rotation. I use each one three times.
1981563
I'm not sure what the recommendations are for changing this filter, but when we notice that our water is tasting funny, we change the filter (about every 12 months). There are probably a lot of variables at play, such as the minerals in your water, chemicals, etc.
1228548
I didn't use anything in mine, but I don't use anything when changing the filters either. I just let the tank fill up over the course of a few hours and then I allowed the whole thing to empty down the drain. I think I did this twice just to kind of rinse out the tank.
1862264
We change the filter in our 10-gallon tank once a month. We only have two goldfish, but they are quite large. If your tank begins to stink or look cloudy before a month is up, I would change it. Good luck!
2003473
The life of the filter will vary based on the level of TDS in your water. You should change the filter once your meter reads 006. On average a filter will process between 25-30 gallons of water. The less TDS your water contains, the less often you will need to change your filters.
208080
I sent this filter back because a clip broke the first month of using it but to answer you question, I clean mine about every four months or if the water flow has slowed down considerably. I am now using all fluval
1907975
Hi Edward, I have the big filter series that take two filters. I use it for a fifty gallon rubbr stock tank I keep in the basement to keep giant goldfish brought in from the winter. I keeps the tank clean as there are 8 really big goldfish. I usually pull out the two filters about every three weeks or so. I also take out the whole unit and clean out the scum from the unit, So-- 3 into 52 weeks in a year-- 17 or 18 times. These are messy fish, so maybe I change them more often than I need. Hope that helps.
1774682
I have freshwater tanks currently but I really do like this filter. I use it in my 29gal planted. I didn't use the carbon and used matrix in its place. You can slow or speed up the filter too. Easy to clean. Buy the filter replacements on Amazon. You can find non-branded ones or cut some to size you self. I don't use the drip tray prefilter though, get gunked up fast. I have a small bio wheel in my 10gal shrimp tank. I like it to but the wheel gets stuck and won't spin at times. Don't have to worry about that with this fluval filter and it has an indicator to let you know when it needs cleaning. I recommend it.
828323
The more filteration the better always. You want to turn over the water as much as you can. I have two on my 125 this one and a five stage i bought here and does great.
768678
Personally, I don't think this filter is to big for your tank. It will filter 185 gallons per hour as per the literature. You can always go with something smaller, if its more economical. I have the 1200 model which is being run on my 110 gallons tank. Your filter and mine only have one tube which is sucking the dirt from the tank, and one tube that puts back clean water. From my experience, I could probably run 3 of the 1200 filters on my tank with no ill effects. I don't see any problem with your selection. Hope this helps you.
1473616
I haven't had n e problem with this product & have been using it for a while. It really isn't needed, unless your not doing frequent water changes. I do my normal water changes & use this when I've been lazy & haven't gotten around to doing a water change for a while. If it helps, next time pour it into or near the filter so it can get broken down quicker. Or mix it into what ever water your going to add to your tank if your adding it during a water change.
245875
You need to replace the sponges IMMEDIATELY with a better filter medium. Look through the reviews and you will find what to use. Otherwise this is a great, quiet little filter for very small aquariums.