Review on 🔍 Efficient Small Replacement Filter Cartridges by Koller Products by Kristen Lopez

I recently placed an order with a reputable online fish shop that has had at least one mess with their small orders in the past (hey, big breeders who sell mostly to shops and large aquariums and not to individuals). This time I got 2 bettas, even though I only had one tank for one betta. I ran a Revain (I'm disabled and mostly housebound) and found what looked like the perfect tank. I didn't have time to repeat the cycle so I added some Tetra Safe Start bacteria and hoped for the best. The LED lights are amazing and the build quality is very good. BUT what is REALLY BAD is the filter. This filter is made of carbon and filament. Both are good for clearing your water but useless as an organic medium and you throw them out from time to time so even if they contained organic pellets you would throw them out every month. Usually I just replace the filter with a REAL filter, but then the great light cap is no longer suitable. So I dropped some bio pellets from another tank into the bottom of the filter slot. So I picked up some biological "good" bacteria from my other cycle tank. Then I put one of those expensive filters on top of the bio beads. The filter cartridge barely sticks out and I can sleep soundly knowing there's good bacteria in there from another reservoir. The bio balls will always be there - I just change the combo of charcoal and filament regularly - who doesn't want sparkling water? I complain that they are too expensive, if they weren't so thick and I could sew I would make my own bags and put whatever I wanted in them. Possibly as a floss and purigen - without an almost useless tank filter bag - like the ones I bought with this order. It also took some time to find the exact size I needed - several that look almost the same but don't list the tank model as one that uses this filter. I finally found it and they fit well even with my organic beads underneath. My water stays very clear (as a carbon filter should be) after a week of use - but that's the ONLY thing this filter will do for you. by itself. So before you use this tank, take some bio pellets from another tank or a friend's tank that has been ridden and drop a few to the bottom of this filter before adding the filter pad. Then you can "have it all";