BB question. Not sure

[BMcAfee]

I noticed that my water in my 75g was slightly cloudy so I did my wc a day sooner than usual. Once I refiled the tank I noticed that my uv steralizer must have crapped out in the last week because the cartriges in my 2 biowheel 400's are caked with brown algea. I checked and sure enough it was so I replaced it already.I am wondering If I can swap cartriges and rinse out my cannister media and pads without causeing my tank to cycle. I understand there is some BB in the sand and coating all the surfaces of the decor in the tank but will that be enough to reseed the new media or am I screwed? Please let me know what ya'll think.

 

[Joe M]

If the filters are the only ones that you have on this tank, I would not do it. There is a lot of BB in those filters. I think it would at least cause a mini-cycle.

 

[aclockworkorange]

Clean them in old tank water in a bucket. Most of the bacteria should be in the biowheels themselves, so you should be fine.

 

[BMcAfee]

The biowheels are good I decided to take out the cartriged and replace them with the cases that came with the filter that you can fill up with media of you choosing, I filled up with 100% polyester fiber "like what you fill pillows with" to get the debri that is in the tank out. But I didnt mess with the cannister. will leaveing the biowheels themselves and the cannister intact be enough to keep the BB going for now. I can replace the cartriges tmro. I guess I can wait a couple of weeks to rinse out the madia in the cannister. will this work?

 

[BMcAfee]

I tried to get the brown stuff off in a bucket with tank water but it wouldnt come off enought for water to pass through them the water was just doing over them along with the debris back into the tank.

 

[Joe M]

Oh wow I missed that they were biowheels. You should be fine then.

 

[BMcAfee]

Great, I was starting to worry. Things like this seem to pop up just when I think everything is running smoothly. Thanks alot for the advice should sleep much better now...