filters

[lady_tanksalot]

just cleaned my tank and was suprised at just how dirty my filter was this time

i have a external fluval and clean it about once a fortnight

maybe not enough?


just wondered how often you all cleaned yours

 

[Dwarfs]

I clean my filters as soon as they begin to slow down

 

[lady_tanksalot]

ok i may sound thick but how'd you know its slowed down

 

[Dwarfs]

When the water coming out starts to trickle instead of flow

 

[Cheese Specialist]

I clean mine as little as possible. I also just do it when I notice a difference in the flow. People faff with their filters too much IMO, just do the basucs and leave well alone.

 

[Def]

I never touch the filter media. Every couple of weeks (more if there's new fry in the tank) I pop the canisters out the fluval and let all the junk drain into a jug. I find almost no junk gets stuck in the sponges, it all gets caught between the sponge canister and the plastic holder.

 

[babyfish]

I clean my external filters about every 4-6 months.... the longer you leave them undisturbed the better.
As said above.... you only need to clean them when the flow from the outlet slows down.

You simply need to shake your sponges in a bucket of tank water(don't squeeze them as this breaks down the honeycomb structure...then you have to buy new ones).....and pour a jug full of clean tank water overy the baskets.

Job done

 

[BobK]

I don't mean to ask a stupid question, but what is a fortnight? I've heard the term several times but I don't know what it means. Thanks.

 

[The-Wolf]

I don't mean to ask a stupid question, but what is a fortnight? I've heard the term several times but I don't know what it means. Thanks.

Two weeks
come from period of fourteen consecutive nights
over the years became misspelt fort-night.

 

[BobK]

Excellent, you learn something every day. Sorry I'm not familiar with British metaphors. I do weekly water changes. I clean the filter whenever my bio-wheel slows down, about every fortnight as well. My filter slows down frequently because of my huge pleco who is a virtual poop machine.

 

[CFC]

I like cheese specialist and babyfish clean my filters only when there is a visable drop in power, this happens about every 3 months.

 

[arj]

I have a fluval 3 plus i think, i clean it generally once every 2 weeks, alternating the sponges each time. is it wrong to squeeze the sponge to get the dirt and stuff out?

 

[Joby]

I have fluval filters in all my tanks varying from the 1 to the 4 and usually just squeeze them in tank water that's been syphoned off in a water change. I generally do them every month but if fry are born then I check every couple of days as some little ones get sucked in. They are fine though and I've had some survive for 5 days as I didn't realise they could get sucked in at first! Haven't replaced any of the media yet and my oldest ones are now 6 months old. My ammonia and nitrite levels are always 0 so I must be doing something right

 

[Paul_MTS]

My fluval pluses get cleaned once the flow slows or when the idicator is down as thats usually about right.

my fluval external (204) gets cleaned when the flow slows aswell, i end up cleaning the outlet nozzle every week or 2 though as it gets blocked with bits of plant, hopefully that will stop now i'm rid of cabomba!!

I just clean the sponges aswell.I did my 204's for the first time i had it (since august) and that was pretty filthy!!.

 

[LadyMinion]

I just clean the sponges aswell.I did my 204's for the first time i had it (since august) and that was pretty filthy!!.

Eww... does yours get covered in that yucky gunky slimy stuff? I make Sir scrape that off.