Cleaning an Ocean Clear filter cartridge

[KaiserSousay]

If it is the same material as a swimming pool filter, muriatic acid dilute with water will clean it up easily by soaking it for a short time. Of course, you should hose off what will comes off with the water hose. The acid will dissolve the lime deposits and organics at the same time. You do need to be careful when working with acid( eye protection / long sleeve shirt / gloves ). Good Luck.

That makes more sense than a bleach bath.
Since the OP was concerned about "silt" clogging I still think a powerful jet of water will be needed.
Eventually the pores will get clogged to a point where replacement is the only option, no matter how you clean it.

 

[rudy1964]

That makes more sense than a bleach bath.
Since the OP was concerned about "silt" clogging I still think a powerful jet of water will be needed.
Eventually the pores will get clogged to a point where replacement is the only option, no matter how you clean it.[/QUOTE

People with no idea what they are taking about should stay away from given answer.
I've have these canister for over 5 years, done several setup.(ocean clear/nu-clear canisters)
The Mechanical units comes with a pressure gauge, when you set up these units, the gauge will show you where you are at not restriction from clogging, when the cartridge started to clog the gauge will start to move ahead and you can see that the flow star to diminish to the point if you don't clean it, will be no flow.
Now every time i have clean these cartridges, put them in a bucket with water and chlorine overnite and rinse well the next day, the flow its back to the full capacity, the gauge indicator comes back exactly to same point every time as is new.
Finally you don't have to buy cartridges because of clogging, only if they rip, but as i say they last for a very long time, i have one that i have used for 3 years.
Best canister for large tanks you can go from 800 to 1700 gph, no bypast, water its push, easy to maintain, can be set in line as many you want, large surface area.

 

[Dan F]

How often does one need to clean one of these I have been looking for an inline filter that wont need cleaned every week to put before a bead filter.

I run two NuClear canisters in series, a 100 micron cartridge followed by a 25 micron cartridge. I use an Iwaki MD40 pump, which starts out with around 800 GPH of actual flow at 2-3 pounds of back-pressure. It takes about two weeks before the pressure reaches around 8 pounds of back-pressure and I clean the cartridges.

How often you have to clean them is a function of flow, pressure, and how dirty the water is. It is very hard to say how long you can get between cleaning until you set it up and try it. One option to increase the maintenance interval is to stack filter cartridges using extension rings - by doubling the surface area of the cartridge you double the time between cleaning.

As far as cleaning:

The 100 micron cartridge is a pleated poly-screen. It just needs a blast with the hose, no bleach/acid needed.

The 25 micron pleated fiber cartridge is more work - I have two so that I can just swap the cartridges and clean the dirty one as time allows. I start by cleaning it with the hose to remove the easy stuff. I then soak it in a solution of about one cup of bleach to four gallons of water for a day or two. I then hit it with the hose nozzle again. I soak it in clean water to remove any remaining bleach and then air-dry the cartridge.

The 25 micron cartridges I have I bought used and have been cleaned dozens of times.

 

[KaiserSousay]

People with no idea what they are taking about should stay away from given answer.
I've have these canister for over 5 years, done several setup.(ocean clear/nu-clear canisters)



Now why get snotty.
I`m not going to list my experience with pleated filter cartridges, but it`s been extensive.
Foolish to say they will not get to a point where replacement is the only option.
They all do.
Maybe you haven`t got there yet.
No problem with a disagreement.
Just, Jeeeze man...I didn`t kick your dog, I just offered an onion.
Lighten up.