Every Three to Six Months
Change Bottom Filter Pad
Over time, your tank’s filter bed accumulates so much debris that the flow through it is
reduced.This will have an adverse effect on your animals, since a reduction in flow means
less oxygen available to the biological filter, which in turn reduces ammonia consumption.
The length of time required to reach this condition will depend on how well you have
followed the preceding maintenance procedures and on the loads kept in the tank. On
average, you filter bed should remain unrestricted for at least six months.Time expectation
will vary in accordance with how well you have followed the general maintenance
and loading procedures which procedures which precede this section.
NOTE: This condition can also result from clogged airstones and blocked air pump
filters, so be sure to check for these conditions first.
To determine if your filter bed is restricted,
follow these steps (while pump is running):
1. Remove Carbon Box Lid and Carbon Box.
2. In one Air Stack, disconnect flexible tubing
from white rigid tube. Bubbles will stop in the
disconnected stack and will either stop or be
greatly reduced in the other.
6. Re-insert white rigid tubes into Air Stacks and
reattach flexible connector tubes.
Do not push airstones all the way to the
bottom of the tank.
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