When to change filter media

GobyWanKenobie

Well-Known Member
BRS Member
It had been 4 months since I changed my filter media including my Chemipure Blue. The next day my green stag was bleached, and now I'm struggling to save another acro. After testing my phosphates, I noticed a significant drop. It's a catch 22. I thought I was doing a good thing. Should I not change my Chemipure Blue until 6 months or should I try to add phosphates when I do?
 
you would need to keep it consistent but in terms of it being effective not in a set time frame. Essentially the old one wasn’t doing nothing for a long time already so the new shocked everything by stripping the water. You need to keep changing it before it is exhausted so the variation is as small as possible. Stability in a reef is more than just alk, if you measured your par before and after you would definitely see a big difference just from the water getting clearer.
 
Was activated carbon replaced as well? If so, I think it might be more of a culprit for the bleached/dead coral especially if it’s placed really high up. The sudden removal of the yellowish tanning of tank water allows excessively higher PAR to reach the coral even though lighting schedule was not modified. This is more prone if carbon hasn’t been used for months. This happened to me once before and from then on, I always lower my lights a few days when running carbon.
 
you would need to keep it consistent but in terms of it being effective not in a set time frame. Essentially the old one wasn’t doing nothing for a long time already so the new shocked everything by stripping the water. You need to keep changing it before it is exhausted so the variation is as small as possible. Stability in a reef is more than just alk, if you measured your par before and after you would definitely see a big difference just from the water getting clearer.
I think you're probably right. I usually do it every 3 months so I didn't think one more month would be that bad.
Was activated carbon replaced as well? If so, I think it might be more of a culprit for the bleached/dead coral especially if it’s placed really high up. The sudden removal of the yellowish tanning of tank water allows excessively higher PAR to reach the coral even though lighting schedule was not modified. This is more prone if carbon hasn’t been used for months. This happened to me once before and from then on, I always lower my lights a few days when running carbon.
Chemipure Blue has all sorts of carbon and resins in that bag. It works really well, maybe too well this time. I've been using it for years. The coral wasn't that high in the tank, but I am starting to think that it stripped the water of helpful elements. I suppose that's how it gets the water so clear.
 
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Thanks for all the helpful insight. I've never had this happen before, but then again, I've never been this far behind in my filter maintenance. I wonder if I would be better off without using the Chemipure. That way I don't risk shocking my system again by trying to help it. :(
 
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