Thank you for posting this! I’ve been wanting to change from a filter cartridge to this style of filter media but couldn’t find a way to do it without completely ruining the cycle. Your’s is the only explanation I’ve seen that gives advice on doing that.

By saying the beneficial bacteria only lives in the filter media is not necessarily true. It also exists in other areas of the filter and especially in the substrate..

Thank you so much! Trying to read random forum posts about this subject was terribly confusing and this video covered every single question I had, including what order everything should go in! You're a gem, sir!!!

Great video & very easy directions. I've been doing this for about a year now. Very cost effective & a lot better for the tank/fish !

Thank you so much for this walk through! Filmed nicely, easy to understand. Looking forward to upgrading my cartridge filter.

Thank you so much for this! I watched this about a wk ago, ordered everything and am changing everything over tonight. Best video with easy to follow instructions

OMG!!! This is amazing! I have been struggling with how to do this. You broke it down so well. Thank you!

Thank you so much for posting this video. This has been really helpful to replace my filter media with reusable media.

I'm new to tanks and I've been getting lots of info off the net and Tube. I've been unsure on filter systems and you've explained it in a way I understand lol. thanks

This is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you for the great tutorial!!

U explain so well thank you! It cost sooo much for cartridges this will help. I subscribed your a keeper.

only person I know with the information I needed thank goodness .. only thing is it took so long for me to find it ..

Just make sure that the "stuffed animal fluff" you purchase is not treated with chemicals. They often are to keep mold from growing.

Straight forward explanation. This is such a great video

First video I’ve seen of yours and immediately subscribed because this is the only video that I’ve found that explained how to switch from cartridges to a build your own kit. great video, extremely helpful! Thank you 🙏

Thank you so much for this video! My nitrites are out of control, and my local fish store helped me figure out it was due to that topfin cartridge crashing my cycle!

JUST got done doing something very very similar to the Top Fin filter my girlfriend bought for her fancy Goldfish! Great video

Watched a bunch of videos on why throwing away filter cartridge is bad for your tank. But this is the first video where I saw instructions on how to transfer the existing bacterial colony to your new setup. Very useful for a rookie like me. Thank you.

Wonderful video thank you for posting!

Thank you for the info! Much appreciated.

Perfect! JI just bought the Top Fin 36gal kit and was wondering how to make the filter better. Off to the pet store I go! :-)

awesome video, thank you! very helpful

This was amazing!!!

Thank you so much I’m new to keeping fish so this helps a lot

Thanks for the video I've been looking for a way to hotrod my topfin filter!

Can also cut the top of the cartridge with an exacto knife or a razor blade, empty the old carbon replace with new carbon, then use a rubber band to keep it closed. I've been doing it for years never buy a cartridge until it rots or can't be cleaned. I like the media you used fore the bacteria (sugar cube shaped things) lots of surface area for bacteria. Nice video thank you.

Gotta say. It's been a nice informational video to learn a trick or two. Unhappy with the comments about the tripod situation, because when he put the stand by on, it went from interesting to funny to once again interesting or informative. All productions need comic relief scenes. Good job sir. Now these days babies diapers are changed for new, when good bacteria stayed on those that yah mama or grandma rewashed. Got my point? Ahh. Ahhh- shooooe!!! 😂

Been looking for this exact information! Thank you!!!!!

Thanks just the video I’ve been looking for!!!!!!

Finally it makes sense! Thanks!

Super helpful video, conveniently with the same HOB filter I have. Thanks for making it!

Omg I just spent 2hrs looking up video and finally yours answered all my questions and gave me ideas ( and saved me a bunch$$$$$) thank you 🙏

Super helpful and informative video, thanks!!! Also, when replacing the filter floss should I keep some of the old stuff so it doesn’t lose that beneficial bacteria or is completely changing it okay?

Great video very informative thank you.

Simple to understand, thanks mate

Very nice video, thank you!

Very helpful thanks

I habe a variety of AquaClear and SeaChem Tidal HOB's (the SeaChems are slowly replacing the AquaClears) and on all of them I run a prefilter sponge on the intake tube for mechanical filtration. This lets me use the whole filter body for bio filtration using ceramic ring media in a couple of netbags.

Fantastic Thanks for sharing 💙

Thank you for this!! Can you post a video or tell me how to change it out and when you would do that?

Love it thanks👍💪

I did learn something thnk you

Also can u do this with the tiny filers that 10 gallon tanks come with also? Have a betta in a 10gallon and goldfish in a 36 with a topfin filter that looks like yours

Skillz... yeah you’ve got some!😉👍🤙✌️😎

Thank you so much for this. J wanted to ask. Why not just get a canister filter.. whats you take on it and also us there more other ways to hook up your filter =)

Finally some answers. I unfortunately have a top fin as well lol very informative thanks you!!! 4/11/2020

Great video thank you

Great video. One thing a lot of videos don't say is how to transfer the bio over to the new filter.

how often should you change out the filter? Or which parts should you change?

How long do you leave the old carbon cartridge in with the new media?

useful information

What is the upkeep? How do you clean it or what parts do you change out and how often?

Great tutorial!! Just curious how often this should be changed, or is this kind of end game? Lol thank you in advance

Could I start cycling my tank with this filter you modified or should start with a carbin package?

Thank you this is such a helpful video!! Quick question.. can you add carbon pellets and the bio cubes/rings in the same mesh bag.. or do you have to separate these two ?

i hope you’re still responding to comments! so if i cut off pieces of the dirty cartridge bag, gently swish it in dechlorinated water (to rinse off the carbon), put it in between the filter floss and media, is it safe to start using my filter immediately? or do i still need to cycle it? (i’m sorry if this is a stupid question, i’d just really like to know.) right now i’m sort of in a dire situation... i put a lot of new plants in my tank and there’s bacterial bloom. my carbon has expired so i have my filter unplugged (probably why i have bacterial bloom). i hope i can get an answer soon! today i’m going to change the water (i’m thinking a 50% water change) because i think that will help my situation.

How often does the stuffing, bottom sponge and bio rings need to be changed?

so like with the stuffed animal fluff type stuff, when you clean the tank do you just rinse it with tank water or replace it after a while or what

this is exactly thing what i need

I did this but mine is a topfin10, so I tossed the blue thingy. Is that OK? It all fits well now, sponge, cut up floss from old filter pad, then ceramic rings....

Hi Jeremy... I have a tetra whisper 20 hang on the back filter. I am wanting to get rid of the bio carbon bag that came with it and I'm going to take your advice. However, I have a mesh bag filled with purigen in there currently. Can I use the ceramic beads and the purigen together? Mine doesn't stack like the filter you showed mine is front to back. So, should I put the filter sponge, then Polly fill, then the ceramic beads and then the Purigen?

Ok so when cleaning the filter items. Do I need to change out the filter floss with new filter floss? Or do I just have to wash the filter floss out in bucket of tank water and put it back in?

so will there ever be a time where i'll have to replace anything in the filter once I use all of this stuff?

Do I have to use multiple different kinds of media? Could I only use sponge?

Could you tell me would it be ok if a person don't have the light that goes in the left hand corner? That uses LED Battery s ?

Amazing video, this really helped me out. Do you have to clean it every once in a while with dechlorinated water or is it ok without being cleaned? Thanks!

Can we use pillow wool instead of filter floss

May I ask if a hob filter can suck up all fish poops or just the poops near the intake?

Once you cut it out, how long do you keep it in the tank before you can remove just the old carbon?

Very good

Doesn't the water on this filter flow from back to front? Not so sure if going from bottom to top with the media is the best thing. Not sure though.😀

So, with this reusable method, do you ever need to rinse or replace the filter floss?

How often do you change the sponges and floss?

Nice video.. I’ll give a shot. Question, when cleaning this modified filter, what is the recommendation to keep the beneficial bacteria?

Jeremy did I get you right when u sd the activated carbon only lasts a month? Because i got a 15G tank with a slim HOB with 680l/hr flow...and its has limited space for Bio media...😭😭😭 cartridges are too damn expensive..what do i do a month is up

I PUT MY BIO MEDIA AT THE BOTTOM THEN THE SPUNGE AND THE POLISH FIBER ON TOP AND ITS BEEN WORKING JUST FINE FOR ME FOR OVER 20 YEARS!!

how often that you change the filtration?

This is the exact video I was looking for. As someone who started a tank with the hang over & carbon & lost a few fish at the start & had to do a 75% water change after a day; I ordered some media & sponges & I’m going to switch it up when they come. Nice to know to keep the floss from the carbon cartridge cause I would’ve just tossed it. After the switch, how long will that floss be good for & can it eventually be tossed after the tank gets acclimated to the sponge/media method? And those are basically used forever & only rinsed every month or so in used tank or treated water?

Ok so how often do i need to take everything out and clean it.

can u post the link to buy everything u used in this video

Do we change this every month or no

I've watched a lot of videos about rigging up your filter. I don't agree with any of them nor this one. I have an Aqueon QuietFlow 20 LED Pro. I tried removing the cartridge and replacing with other media and here's the issue. HOB's have overflows for when the water at the filter gets clogged and it backs up into the receiving tank. It then overflows into the FRONT of the cartridge and right back into the tank doing nothing to filter that water. All this media in the filter reduces the flow in the filter causing it to overflow like I mentioned. It also causes the filter return to be lower into the tank. To each his own but for me, the filters are designed a certain way for a reason.

Nice video! I set mine up with sponge and filter floss after removing their cartridge then I put bio rings on top, but now I am wondering if it is just hitting the bio rings and going straight out... Wish I could send a short video of it to you. Or do you have any experience customizing an Aqueon 20?

Thank you s much

Nice video. In minute 6:07, you indicate to cut the filter floss from old cartridge. After removing the carbon and rinsing it in old tank water, do we reuse that carbon in the new setup or do we fold the old cartridge in half with the rinsed carbon and stick that between the new filter floss and biomedia? My original and new cartridge has been running for a little over 5 weeks. My new tank is still approaching the last phase of its cycle. I though carbon goes bad after 4 weeks and can harm your water?

Love the video. would I ever need to replace any part of the filter?

Does Petco or PetSmart sell those mesh bags?

This video was very helpful for me. I have only had a 20 gallon aquarium for a few years and I am moving up to a 50 gallon. I am still a little confused though on cutting open the old filter and replacing it into this new set up. And I’m not sure what to do after this new set up needs to be cleaned? Do I remove everything I just rinse it out in aquarium water and replace it or do I replace it all with new?

When it's time to clean that how-do-you-do it without interrupting your cycle?

Great video!! Can you tell me about anything I can put in the filter to filter out the ammonia also?

Do u actually need the carbon?

I use cottonpads instead of filterflos! Same cottonpaddies I use to remove make-up or clean skin etc

Hi I was wondering if I could just use sponge and bio rings only or do I have to add the filter floss as well? Thank you!

With this type of setup how often do you need to replace media/filterfloss/sponge? I know with the cartridges it requires a monthly change due to the carbon going bad. So im just curious how long this lasts and how to keep up with the maintenance for a DYI type filter so that I can continue to be successful.

Another good "optimization" would be adding a round sponge on the intake of the filter (the tube that sucks water), especially if there are any floating plants! Fish love nobbling on the tiny food particles on it

So aside from the floss would I find the bio rings, sponge, and mesh bag at petsmart that's the closest pet store I have near me otherwise I would be traveling 2 hours just to get to a pet store

Thanks for this. I may have missed it but how often would you need to change the "fluff" or can it be cleaned & re-used?

does all this extra filtering make the pump work harder & maybe overheat ?

How long will it take to transfer that beneficial bacteria to the filter floss and the bio rings

I just did this to my aqueon quiet flo 30 and now it's not quiet anymore. It's making a slight rattling sound and I was very careful not to do anything to bump/dislodge the impeller. Hoping it goes away. Any tips/advice? Thanks in advance 😊