Filter media cleaning

[fragglerock]

Hi. I'm new to the forum and would like some advice on whether it's safe to clean Juwel filter media or whether I should always buy new as per the Juwel instructions. I currently change the white filter wadding weekly and the carbon sponge monthly and I'm wondering if I can get away with cleaning the other filters to extend their life?

The actual filter I have is a Juwel Bioflow Filter XL and I have a 450L tank and 12 medium size discus. I'm doing a 25% water change twice per week and using treatment for the tap water that goes in. Everything is going well a few months in, I test the water weekly and all levels are good.

I'll try to post a photo if I can work out how to to do it! Thank you so much in advance for any replies

 

[Colin_T]

Hi and welcome to the forum

I used to love watching fraggle rock. Most kids these days won't know what it is

Yes you can squeeze out filter media in a bucket of tank water and re-use the media. Do this until the media starts to fall apart and then replace it with a sponge. You can buy sponges for different brands of filter and use a pr of scissors to cut the sponge to fit in your filter. I like AquaClear sponges but there are lots of brands to choose from and they all do the same thing.

 

[fragglerock]

Photos as promised....

 

[fragglerock]

Hi and welcome to the forum

I used to love watching fraggle rock. Most kids these days won't know what it is

Yes you can squeeze out filter media in a bucket of tank water and re-use the media. Do this until the media starts to fall apart and then replace it with a sponge. You can buy sponges for different brands of filter and use a pr of scissors to cut the sponge to fit in your filter. I like AquaClear sponges but there are lots of brands to choose from and they all do the same thing.

Wow, thank you for such a quick response. I think that's some really good advice so I'll give that a go

 

[Fishmanic]

@fragglerock
great looking tank
We hope you will enter the tank in our Tank of the Month contest
Feb....tanks sized at 31 gallons and larger
March...tanks sized at 16 US gallons and smaller
April....tanks sized at 17 to 30 gallons.

 

[Fishmanic]

also, our Fish of the Month starts accepting entries in mid February

 

[Essjay]

The Juwel filter comes with a variety of sponges (fine blue, coarse blue, green and black) a white floss pad and possibly a box of cirax.

The white pad is first in the direction of water flow to catch the bits, so it clogs quickly. It won't survive more than 2 or 3 washes before it disintegrates so that one does need replacing frequently. Juwel pads work out expensive but you can buy lengths of filter wool from a roll (pond supply shops, eBay). Get the same thickness a a Juwel pad and use a pad as a template to cut it up.

The black sponge is impregnated with carbon which you don't need full time. I'd replace that with a blue sponge.

The green sponge is supposed to remove nitrate but unless they've improved it since I had a Juwel tank, it doesn't. Pretend it's a blue sponge.

Unless you have cirax (a ceramic medium in a box) you should have 2 fine blue sponges and 1 coarse blue sponge in a Bioflow XL.

So that's 3 blue and 1 green sponge. Just wash them in water your take out a water change and they'll last for years. When they finally start to go into holes or won't go back into shape after squeezing, replace them one at a time with a month between.

 

[fragglerock]

@Essjay Thank you, excellent help. I really appreciate it and it will save me a fortune to not have to change filters each time!!

 

[Country joe]

The Juwel filter comes with a variety of sponges (fine blue, coarse blue, green and black) a white floss pad and possibly a box of cirax.

The white pad is first in the direction of water flow to catch the bits, so it clogs quickly. It won't survive more than 2 or 3 washes before it disintegrates so that one does need replacing frequently. Juwel pads work out expensive but you can buy lengths of filter wool from a roll (pond supply shops, eBay). Get the same thickness a a Juwel pad and use a pad as a template to cut it up.

The black sponge is impregnated with carbon which you don't need full time. I'd replace that with a blue sponge.

The green sponge is supposed to remove nitrate but unless they've improved it since I had a Juwel tank, it doesn't. Pretend it's a blue sponge.

Unless you have cirax (a ceramic medium in a box) you should have 2 fine blue sponges and 1 coarse blue sponge in a Bioflow XL.

So that's 3 blue and 1 green sponge. Just wash them in water your take out a water change and they'll last for years. When they finally start to go into holes or won't go back into shape after squeezing, replace them one at a time with a month between.

Would you change the black for a blue right away even in a brand new filter, if changing the black to blue would you recommend a course or a fine?

 

[Essjay]

Yes, I would. There's little point in leaving the black sponge in there to grow bacteria only to later throw it away, with all its bacteria, and replace it with a brand new sponge.

I'd go for coarse.


Apart from the white pad and black sponge, don't change anything like the manual says. They'd have you changing them every few months which makes them more money. Sponges last for years.

 

[Country joe]

Thanks have purchased pack of two on ebay, not the official but look the same and much cheaper.

 

[Country joe]

Thanks have purchased pack of two on ebay, not the official but look the same and much cheaper.

Would it be worth adding two bags of bio gravel in bags to where the cirax filter goes in the space of the middle of the filter, or do they always have to go in the bottom.

 

[Essjay]

Can you give us a link to this biogravel so we can see whether it's worth using instead of Cirax (a ceramic medium for those not familiar with Juwel filters)

 

[Country joe]

Can you give us a link to this biogravel so we can see whether it's worth using instead of Cirax (a ceramic medium for those not familiar with Juwel filters)

Sorry I'm useless on computers can't do links, but it's Ebay biohome, bio gravel filter by Stendia, hope this helps.

 

[Essjay]

All you have to do is highlight the address at the top of the page and post it on here


When I search for bio gravel on eBay, all I can find is several listings for Biohome bio gravel by seller fish-tank-matt. Is that the one you mean? This stuff -

Biohome Biogravel Filter Media 250g (in a mesh bag) - free bacteria balls | eBay

It supports the growth of zooplankton and is the perfect playground for shrimp.

www.ebay.co.uk

Is this what you mean?


Edit - there's another seller also selling Biohome bio gravel as well.