Cleaning My Filter

[MrsM]

Afternoon all, i did a large WC and turned over the gravel...of course lots of muck came out! it was a pretty decent amount of water i changed, about 70% so of course lots of the muck was removed via the gravel cleaner but when i refilled the tank the water still had muck floating, so now..a couple of hours later,the water is clear(ish) but my filter looks....well...."manky" whats the best was to clean it?? Ive attatched a pic to show you

Should i take it out of the tank and rinse in tank water? Or can i use an earbud while its still in the tank, and also if and when i need to do a filter clean...how do i do it "correctly" i know not to use tap water, but do i take it apart etc? Thanks...silly question to some but its the simple things i get wrong and #28### it all up

 

[Aquascaper]

I would just leave it at the moment, any detritus will either get eaten or sucked into the filter as it breaks down. In the past I've just wiped it with my fingers if it's particularly unsightly and then just cleaned it at the next water change.

 

[MrsM]

it can just be left until next week then, i only give the gravel a good turn over every now and again so its not like its all the time.... thanks

 

[Aquascaper]

Maybe plan to do gravel one week and filter the next

 

[MrsM]

im just looking up on how to clean filter...im just gonna swish it about in a bucket of used tank water, clean the "vents" maybe change the carbon every other week...ish...no need to totally dismantle it really is there?

just realised you can see a skeleton on my window,(on 2nd pic) its reflected on the tank glass lol, happy halloween haha

 

[Tizer]

Not worth replacing the carbon either. Internal filters like that should only need a clean out once a month really.

 

[MrsM]

i know they say its not worth the stress replacing carbon but i actually dont mind doing it, ive used ich meds before in my tank so i think it helps just to clear that out if there are slight traces in the tank, plus doesnt it "polish" the water..carbon is cheap and replacing it takes 5 mins...

 

[RockyStafford]

Am i right in thinking that meds kill off the beneficial bacteria in your filter?

 

[snazy]

70% water change is too big after the tank is cycled. 50% the most at a time is best unless it's an emergency. Also, washing newly cycled filter, even in tap water can cause ammonia/nitrIte spikes. I would leave it for a while and don't get too carried away cleaning it as it's no good.

 

[PrairieSunflower]

70% water change is too big after the tank is cycled. 50% the most at a time is best unless it's an emergency. Also, washing newly cycled filter, even in tap water can cause ammonia/nitrIte spikes. I would leave it for a while and don't get too carried away cleaning it as it's no good.

That's new to me. I thought water changes were never a bad thing. I typically do a mid-week 50% change then a weekend 80% change.

 

[MrsM]

70 % is too big? Whats will happen if i do 70+% WC? And as for cleaning the filter...ill clean the gunk off of the vents as it looks awful and is just clogging up the filter

I test very frequently for ammonia,nitrite and nitrate...my tank still has 0 ammonia 0 nitrite...and 30 nitrate.....any large WCs ive done havent effected my cycled tank.......

 

[Mikey1]

That's new to me. I thought water changes were never a bad thing. I typically do a mid-week 50% change then a weekend 80% change.

that is way too much for your average tank,

changing too much water or too often can be just as bad as never changing it at all,

25% - 50% change once a week is enough for your average tank that is reasonably stocked and reasonably fed

more than 50% should NEVER be changed at one time

 

[MrsM]

That's new to me. I thought water changes were never a bad thing. I typically do a mid-week 50% change then a weekend 80% change.

that is way too much for your average tank,

changing too much water or too often can be just as bad as never changing it at all,

25% - 50% change once a week is enough for your average tank that is reasonably stocked and reasonably fed

more than 50% should NEVER be changed at one time

Ive been told,by some on here,and other places to change water as much and as often as i like Hy is it bad to change too much water??

 

[Tizer]

You can change as much water as you like, as often as you like, people who breed fish do massive daily water changes on fry tanks and those with planted tanks who dose ferts daily are often required to do a 50% water change every week to dilute the ferts. Simply make sure the way you do it, is as stress free as possible. i.e. with a hose is great, doing it with buckets and allowing it to gush into the tank is simply daft.

 

[Mikey1]

Ive been told,by some on here,and other places to change water as much and as often as i like Hy is it bad to change too much water??

going by that you could change 100% of your water 5 times a day?

you will kill all of your beneficial bacteria if you change too much and/or too often