Filter Media Questions

[Beaches]

First Tanks specs (again...) 20g, 10 lbs lr, 1/2 argonite & 1/2 lr mixture (approx 15-20lbs; 2 bags), 1 tomato clown (1 1/2"), 1 scooter blenny (1"), 1 yellow blenny (1"), 1 rock anenome & one curly anenome. Water parameters--81-82 degrees, 0 Amon, 0 Nitri, 0 Nitra, & 8.2 PH. Regular lighting kit (came w/hood). Using Skilter 250 with Aqua Clear filter media (2 150 sponges & 1 300 carbon).

I started using the regular Skilter filter media, but it wasn't working well enough to me, so I modified it a bit. My Question...how often does the sponge portion need to be changed? I have been cleaning/rinsing the sponges out every week and cleaning/changing the carbon regularly (Rinse every week and new one every 3 weeks). My water parameters seem fine, but I want to be sure I'm maintaining properly.

Is this something that would show up on readings/parameters so I would know...just checking with the experts. I can change them, just was told it wasn't needed unless they started deteriorating beacause it may cause the tank to cycle again.

Advise please.

[Brooke]

Hi beaches..

Your maintenance schedule sounds about right. Clean out the sponges in saltwater so you don't kill the good bacteria growing on them. I don't think rinsing carbon does it much good. you might just want to change it every two weeks instead. Watch your nitrates with these kind of filters. If they get above 10, you know its time to try something else. I would recommend adding more live rock to your tank (gradually), getting a better skimmer, and getting rid of the aquaclear when the live rock is well established. You will probably do ok with your current set-up if you keep the bioload where it is at now.

HTH-
Brooke