Filter Cleaning

Miamisportsfan45 · Sep 22, 2009

When you clean a filter, do you have to do the fish-in cycle all over again? Or is the bacteria still there? Also, how do you clean a filter as well as how do filters work? I'm new to aquariums but I want to be able to make my aquarium worth looking at without a HUGE effort. Also, I have a 10 gallon fish tank.

Mr._Fishy · Sep 22, 2009

Not if you do it correctly. Rinse the media with dechlorinated or tank water. Don't really try and scrub the media down but just enough to get the gunk off.

Miamisportsfan45 · Sep 22, 2009

The water has to be without chlorine though?

Sean W. · Sep 22, 2009

clean your filter with the same water you take out of your tank when you do a water change, that will keep the filter media cycled. just get like a good scrub brush and a small one that can fit in all the small nooks and crannies. if the water your cleaning it in isnt complete disgusting when you are done cleaning the filter, you arnt doing a good enough job haha...

i clean my filter abotu once ever 3 to 4 weeks, if it needs it or not just to keep it running as efficentially as possible

Miamisportsfan45 · Sep 22, 2009

Ah, alright. Thanks. I'll just do that. So basically I can just get tap water, and use some Ph neutralizer to clean my filter after waiting 24 hours?

Mr._Fishy · Sep 22, 2009

The amount of required cleanings will vary based on your filter and stocking. I clean my eheim that's on a 29g piranha tank probably about once every 4-5 months by my aquaclears seem to need cleaning every 1-2 months. I probably could be cleaning the eheim more but it's just such a pain and the flow rate stays high with dirty media and the water quality is fine.

Sean W. · Sep 22, 2009

Miamisportsfan45 said:
Ah, alright. Thanks. I'll just do that. So basically I can just get tap water, and use some Ph neutralizer to clean my filter after waiting 24 hours?

or you can do what i said and take water from your tank when you are doing a water change...

Mr._Fishy · Sep 22, 2009

It's easier imo to just fill a bucket or two and drop some water dechlor in it, not Ph neutralizer btw. I drain my tanks to a drain outside so it's easier for me to not have to remove my siphon outside, bring in, fill up a bucket then put it back. But if you are using buckets to start, just do what Sean W. said.

Miamisportsfan45 · Sep 22, 2009

I'm not sure what kind of filter I have, or how it operates/works at all. How can I find this out?

Sean W. · Sep 22, 2009

look at it, look for a number and manufactoer then google that, get as much info as you can about it.

or do what i did, take it apart... slowly and carefully of course. just take it apart piece by piece, lay each part down carefully and in a manner that you will be able to put it back together. do this one time and you will know exactly how it works