Cleaning The Filter

[BigIan]

When cleaning the filter (as i`m told to do every 4 weeks)

Does this create a mini cycle in the tank as your washing away the bacteria?

 

[Captain Retardo]

from what i've read, it does, but if you do it quickly and properly you should be fine, the bacteria can only live for 1-2 hours out of water

 

[emma12321]

Hi,

What kind of filter do you have? I have all internal filters and only wash half of the sponges at anytime. Always rinse them in a bucket of tank water never tap water and you shouldn't have any problems.

Emma

 

[BigIan]

its an external one so all i do is rince the excess filth out into a bucket of tank water (presumably after a water change)
don`t acctualy need to make the perfectly clean ect just rinse it?

how often does the media need changing?

 

[Captain Retardo]

yes, just rinse it quickly

 

[BigIan]

thank you kindly,

I was looking through all the litrature i could find but couldn`t find anything about how to clean the filter...

is every 4 weeks often enough?

 

[riverman444]

Just take a glass full of tank water, pour it in the filter, swish it around lightly, pour it out and put the filter back to work. Do not use tap water and DO NOT scrub the filter.

 

[Captain Retardo]

im not sure about your question, but i have found some good literature that might help you (it is about everything but it has a section on maintenence): Tropical Fishlopaedia: A Complete Guide To Fish Care by Mary Bailey, and Peter Burgess PhD

 

[BigIan]

thanks for all the help people..

can`t wait for 6 months time when the tanks is hopefully running smoothly and i can st back and enjoy it

 

[Torrean]

You don't need to rinse your filter until it starts backflowing. This is when water starts coming out around the intake tube rather than out through the outlets. Just gently swish it in tank water and put it back in. If you have a carbon filter that needs to be changed/refilled but I'm not sure how frequently. I have carbon filters but I don't use them unless I am removing medication, setting up a new tank, or something has spilled in the tank. Normal filter media doesn't really need to be replaced unless it is basically falling apart IMHO. The people who say change it every four weeks and so forth are probably trying to sell more media or may be talking about carbon. BTW you can refill a carbon filter bag with activated carbon which can be purchased at your LFS. This will probably come out cheaper than buying new filter bags.