How Often Do You Clean or Change Filter Media?

The only media I change with each water change are the filter pads I cut for my wet/dry filters. I use that Pinky Filter stuff right now, so it's relatively inexensive.

For my HOB's (which are AC110's) I just wring out the filter block in the bucket I drained the water into. When I used the penguin HOB's, I always used their right size C cartridges, and I tended to leave those in for about a month. Then again, they were usually on my smaller, less heavily stocked tanks.

I will guiltily admit that I don't clean my FX5's as often as I should, but when I do, I reuse 1/2 the pads (the ones on the outside) and I change the small circular ones with new ones each time.

I don't use much chemical filtration anymore, so I'm not sure how often you should be changing it; however, I highly doubt you're supposed to change it every time. Depending on the water conditions, the chemical media can last days to weeks before it's exhausted and need to be replaced or recharged. If you do regular water changes, chances are the chemical media will last longer.

The simple answer is when they need to be cleaned. I only run sponges and biomax, so I never replace filter media. I can tell by flow, or over-flow as it were when filters need cleaning. Its an art really. Its more a science if you run carbon or other chemical medias.

Redearsunfish said:

The simple answer is when they need to be cleaned. I only run sponges and biomax, so I never replace filter media. I can tell by flow, or over-flow as it were when filters need cleaning. Its an art really. Its more a science if you run carbon or other chemical medias.

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Same here. I just foam and biomax. I only run canister filters. I clean them out every 2-3 months and replace anything. I just rinse the sponges out in the sink and leave biomax as is. My tanks are not heavily stocked at all though.


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I clean my G6 Pre-filter mechanical every 2 days, I don't use carbon so my chemical chamber filled with matrix and I'm only clean bio media chamber every 3 months.

I rinse my Emperor filter pads weekly and I have to admit that I keep them for a long time lol...I replace them when they begin to feel flimsy and look like they no longer hold waste particles.

For my hobs, whenever the filter pad stops being able to hold any more waste. For my canister, once every 4-6 weeks. But that's the advantage of solely using sponge filters on 9 of my 12 tanks, just squeeze em' out every few months and you're done .

krichardson said:

I rinse my Emperor filter pads weekly and I have to admit that I keep them for a long time lol...I replace them when they begin to feel flimsy and look like they no longer hold waste particles.

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This I do as well now that you mention it.

divemaster99 said:

For my hobs, whenever the filter pad stops being able to hold any more waste. For my canister, once every 4-6 weeks. But that's the advantage of solely using sponge filters on 9 of my 12 tanks, just squeeze em' out every few months and you're done .

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Exactly.

I've got canisters, hob's, wet dry sumps etc.

I toss filter cartridges once they start to plug up.

My sunsun canisters have filter floss in the bottom tray, I toss it when I clean em about every 6 weeks. My fluvals get the sponges rinsed every couple months. I rinse the bio media everytime I clean them.

I have a wetdry trickle tower and my filter floss gets tossed every week or two.

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