Biological filter?

[Abercrombie6202]

I'm sick of buying new filter cartridges!!!! can i just run my filters for biological use only? Isn't 3 w/c a week enough to get all the gunk up? Do i really need that mechanical filtration? I have 3 filters in my tank and i just have biowheels and bio cirfcle thingies in there that help the biological bacteria thingy. So can i just do this or do i really need the filter cartridges?

[breed_beyond]

YOu don't need to buy new ones, by replacing them you are killing the bacteria anyway!! Just take them out and rinse them in tank water then put back in.

[Carol_Roberts]

. . . . or cut sponges to fit. Rinse and reuse almost forever.

[Ardan]

Hi,
If you replace the cartridges and lose the bacteria, then the nitrogen cycle has to repeat itself, it stresses the fish and then the fish get sick easier or from the ammonia/nitrite.

Just rinse sponges in used aquarium water, not tap water, then reuse.
Cheap and so effective.

hth

[Willie]

Go to sponge filters, Adam. Buy it once and use it almost forever. You're right about mechanical filtration. With constant water changes, there's nothing to filter out. The sponges give excellent biological filtration and they're CHEAP.

Willie

[Paulio]

Sponges get my vote too. If you are using a filter with an odd shape you can put a sponge over the intake and fill it with the boi media of your choice (ceramic bits, shredded PVC, bio balls etc) .

Paul