Poly-filter: How 'dark' do you let it get before changing? Pic included

[OHmariner]

Hello, So I have read a lot about poly-filter and Ive seen A picture of how dark a used poly-filter pad is before someone changed it. Since I have never used it I figured id fish for some info from the experts :apimp:

Here is a picture of my poly-filter after aprox. 3 weeks of use. I cut the filter to the size of the second chamber in my nano cube so it is defanitly filtering all the water in the tank. I rinsed the filter before this picture but the rinsing really didnt change the color. How dirty do you other poly-filter users let yours get before you replace it and do you rinse it occasionally?

Thanks for any input. Also, I just added a peppermint shrimp and a flame scallop and they are doing great so far. Im starting spot feeding of corals and the scallop tomorrow with Kent Zooplex....neat stuff, I love my reef tank!
:bouncer:

 

[DaveK]

How dark Poly Filters get depends on your tank. In my FW tank they get almost black from absorbing all the organic stuff. In my SW tanks, they usually just turn a light gray or brown, not unlike you show in your picts. Some of the difference may be because my SW system uses a large powerful skimmer, so a lot of material is removed before the poly filter needs to deal with it.

In either case, I replace them after a couple of months.

 

[BigAl07]

I'm with Dave... a couple of months and roughly the same color/shade as pictured.

 

[Woodstock]

Ditto~
About every few months or when they turn brown as shown in your photo.

 

[Woodstock]

I've been using them for years. Here is a thread I dug up: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/equipment/5729-poly-filters.html#post344725



I think the one below is black due to a carbon reactor up too high that created carbon powder in the water

Here is a great comparison photo of the polyfilter after use.

From left to right: After 2 days of Copper removal in my hospital tank; brand new; after several weeks use in my Reeftank.

 

[OHmariner]

Great! Thanks guys

Woodstock: your picture is the one and only picture I had found before lol, even with google.....

I rented almost every recent saltwater book I could get from the local library and several of the books stated poly-filter used with carbon or a resin like chemi-pure is an excellent way to have 'perfect' water when combined with the proper mechanical filtration, wahoo!

 

[Woodstock]

Yep, Poly Filters work great but are not meant to substitute the need for carbon. A combination of the two works awesome!

 

[DaveK]

...
I rented almost every recent saltwater book I could get from the local library and several of the books stated poly-filter used with carbon or a resin like chemi-pure is an excellent way to have 'perfect' water when combined with the proper mechanical filtration, ...

Keep in mind that a lot of SW books are very dated, especially when it comes to filtration.

The SW filtration area has evolved quite a lot over the last 5 or 10 years. While there is nothing wrong with using a poly filter with carbon or other media, that by itself is unlikely to give you the 'perfect' water conditions you need for a reef system.

You are going to need good biological filtration, usually provided by the use of live rock, and your usually going to want some type of skimmer. Optionally, you might include a refugium, phosphate removers, nitrate removers, denitrification filters, deep sand beds, and a host of other alternatives.

Also, don't forget a RO/DI unit, another type of filtration even though it's not used to filter the SW itself.

 

[cbrownfish]

I use mine until they are approximately like your pic. However, I run water through GAC (carbon) and then into the poly filter. They will expire faster if they are acting as mechanical filtration and a nutrient trap.