Filters

[nensley]

Those of you who have been answering my other questions--thanks!!! Except for the water aeration one. Haha you bunch of 5th graders! :mrgreen:

Anyway, I have to ask some really dumb filter questions. On my Whisper filter there is a black drop in piece and disposable white pads. What part are you guys referring to as a biological filter? Also, so what you guys are telling me is I should take out the black part and the pads and just let it run to help circulate the water? Or keep changing the white pads weekly and just cleaning the black part?

I know this sounds goofy, but I haven't quite learned all the terminology yet and I am so scared of goofing up my tank--again. Thanks!!! Also my nitrates are still a little high so I want to do whatever will help with that.

 

[bobby]

The white part is the part that turns into the bio filter. Yeah change them every week to everyother week. I dont think its needed to clean the black frame, but why not if your changing the pads. I'm running the same kind of filter and I use no pads. I only use it for water movement.

 

[nensley]

Bobby,
How much live rock do you have in your tank?

 

[bobby]

I'm not for sure, but I think it's about 40 now for a long time it ran with only 20.

 

[reeffreak]

The white pads that you were referring to is part of the mechanical filtration.The black pad is suppose to be a carbon pad(chemical filtration).If left in to long then it becomes a biological filter which is what you don't want.Like Bobby,I would replace or clean weekly or bi-monthly.The live rock is the biological filter.I hope this explains it...best of luck.

 

[bobby]

When he said black part I think he meant the black plastic frame that the white pads go on.

 

[nensley]

Thanks for the help guys. And FYI, I am a woman! :mrgreen:

 

[bobby]

OOPS sorry. I think she meant that. LOL

 

[DavidA717]

haha thats funny

 

[fishbait]

i think i know what pad SHE (gawsh guys, couldn't you tell) is refering to. i had the whisper filters on my freshwater tank. it has a course pad similar to the course pad in the coralife super skimmer bubble trap. and yes, i believe this will become a biological filter if not removed or cleaned.

 

[nensley]

Is it ok to just take the white pad and the black coarse pad out? Will it cause any problems with my tank to take them out quickly? Thanks!

 

[bobby]

It can if the pads have been in the tank long enough to grow bacteria. I would remove one at a time atleast a week apart if they have been in there long.

 

[yote]

Just take them out a week or so apart.You might think about replaceing those pads with some LR rubble.That way the little bugs that live in there can take care of any food scraps.Thats might be a better option than filter pads.