Need Help With Tank Maintenance???

[danrod911]

Hi....i Have A 55 Gallon Tank And Is Only 45 Days Old.... And Still Cycling I Think
I Have A Fluval 304 And Need To Know When Is A Good Time To Replace The Carbon Inside The Filter???
Sorry To Bother You Guys With Stupid Questions...but My Lfs Is Not Much Help.
Thanks Dan

 

[reefnut]

No bother... opinions very but if you change out your carbon once a month you'll be good. Make sure to get a good quality carbon... poor quality carbons will leach phosphates into the water.

 

[bseth36]

As i tell all of my customers: Water Changes NEVER hurt!!! This will help speed up the cycling process. :cheer:

 

[sinner's girl]

This will help speed up the cycling proc
No it won't, it will slow it down, what on Earth are you talking about?

 

[moby]

No it won't, it will slow it down, what on Earth are you talking about?
I agree 100%,it is generally excepted that until your ammonia and nitrites fall to zero and the nitrates have begun to show in measurable amounts you are actually prolonging the cycle.
In essence you are diluting/replacing the first two(ammonia,nitrites) with clean salt water.
Those chemicals must go through the entire process, this ensures the beneficial bacteria have established and colonized to continue breaking down the those more harmful compounds into the less benign.
Moby