Filters

[Jazzzz]

Is it really nessary to clean them if they maintain a good flow of water and water changes are done?

 

[kim03333]

hi, i had a question similar to this a few week ago. i don't know if it makes a difference what type of filter you have but i have an internal one. they only need to be cleaned out about once a month as if they are maintaining a good water flow everything is working well. i find after about 2/3 weeks mine tends to get rather gungy inside, but i guess that depends on the fish you have. i've got messy ones that dig around alot. also, i have been told that you only need to replace the filter foam when it actually becomes ripped. apparently it can last for well over a year!

 

[ox5477]

Ya... cleaning a filter is important to maintain flow and remove build of "gunk" as kim said. Keeping good flow through the filter is important obv to keep your filter bacteria well fed with the dissolved fish waste.

I usually gauge whether the filter needs to be cleaned by looking at the flow coming out... knowing how it flows when clean... you can tell when its getting gunky.... so when this happens, syphon out a bucket full of tank water and gently swirl and agitate the media in the bucket of water.... then simply put the media back into the filter and dump the syphoned water. (Usually do this during a wc obv). The bacteria loss will be basically unnoticable, but you will def notice the much better flow.

Ox

 

[Aphotic Phoenix]

One thing to consider is what kinds of food you feed, and how much of it gets sucked into the filter intakes...basically depending on how much "gunk" is decaying in there you could be trapping rotting stuff that's dumping nitrates back into your tank water. So yes there is a good reason to give your filter media a rinsing now and again (aside from reduced water flow).

 

[Jazzzz]

One thing to consider is what kinds of food you feed, and how much of it gets sucked into the filter intakes...basically depending on how much "gunk" is decaying in there you could be trapping rotting stuff that's dumping nitrates back into your tank water. So yes there is a good reason to give your filter media a rinsing now and again (aside from reduced water flow).

good piont will do it tommorrow
It hasent been cleaned for over a month

 

[shelaghfishface]

YES it is, it really is, i had a death recentley ( one of my clown loaches) i left the filter off overnight ( accident) then the next day i turned it on and pumped the air out and all the gunk from the bottom shot in and poisioned/suffocated it.. felt really bad about it, but it was a sad lesson learned,