# lost all my "good" bacteria



## ckwatson (Sep 30, 2009)

I have a 36 bow, with a topfin filter. It has been running for about a month, I replaces my filter cartridge a few days ago, now my tank is going through another cycle. Is there a way to change the filter cartridge with out loosing all my beneficial bacteria.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

The best way to do it is to just rinse it out with old tank water or dechlorinated water and not change them out unless they are falling apart. Then only change out part at a time.


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## ckwatson (Sep 30, 2009)

they are the bags with the carbon in them, could I still just dump the bag and refill it with carbon or would you just float a new bag in the tank for a day before I change out the filter?


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

You can do it either way really, I don't use carbon, I just put an extra sponge in mine.


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

+1

No need to change it out during every wc. Just rinse it out in the used tank water when you are doing your maintenance. Then when it comes time to where you have to change it, give it some good squeezes over the new media to help transfer the goodies over.


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## ckwatson (Sep 30, 2009)

Thanks for the info. I went to my LFS today and they game me some extra bio-balls they had. I have put them in the filter to help with the beneficial bacteria. I will leave them in when I do need to change out the carbon. As the tank gets more established and My plants take off I may remove the carbon completly and just go with the bio-balls and and a sponge to pick up debris in the water. Would this be ok?


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