disturbing bio media

[esoxlucius]

The first section of my sump is for my mechanical filtration, coarse and fine sponges with some floss too. The mid section is ceramic rings and bio balls for my biological filtration. My tank's been running for about 7 months now with no problems at all filtration wise. I clean my mechanical side out every week. The water level in the first two sections should be exactly the same but over the months i've noticed that the first section is very very slowly getting higher than the mid section. We're talking a few millimeters here but thinking ahead i know it will get higher and higher. I know why it is, the flow of water from first to second section is ever so slightly decreasing as my bio media starts to slowly clog up. At some point in the near future during maintainance and whilst the return pumps off i'm going to have to clean out my bio section. This scares me. It wouldn't be half as bad if all my bio media was bagged up like it should be but through inexperience when i first set my tank up i just put all my bio media in loose! I've put extra in since and my extra bio is all bagged up in mesh so i'll just gently lift them out but how the hell am i going to get all the loose bio out without making a huge mess and possibly upsetting my parameters.

 

[Fish Tank Travis]

I would just scoop them out carefully into a bucket of tank water and shake them around or use your hand to agitate them so that they get cleaned out. Then, put them in mesh bags before you put them back in the sump.

If you want to be really careful about it you can do just a little at a time. Take about 25% out and rinse it. Then put it in a mesh bag. A week later take out another 25% and rinse it, and put it in a mesh bag. Keep that up for 4 weeks until you have rinsed all of the bio media.

 

[esoxlucius]

I would just scoop them out carefully into a bucket of tank water and shake them around or use your hand to agitate them so that they get cleaned out. Then, put them in mesh bags before you put them back in the sump.

If you want to be really careful about it you can do just a little at a time. Take about 25% out and rinse it. Then put it in a mesh bag. A week later take out another 25% and rinse it, and put it in a mesh bag. Keep that up for 4 weeks until you have rinsed all of the bio media.

Is it usual that after just after 7 months my bio has started clogging? Is it possible to set my mechanical side up in such a way that no debris gets through to the bio side? I've read of hobbyists going years without the need to mess with their bio side.

 

[tlindsey]

Is it usual that after just after 7 months my bio has started clogging? Is it possible to set my mechanical side up in such a way that no debris gets through to the bio side? I've read of hobbyists going years without the need to mess with their bio side.

I personally don't use them myself but most members use filter socks to control debris in there sumps.

 

[rodger]

I wouldn't take it out. Just swish it around every water change. It will get pumped into the aquarium and what doesn't get siphoned out ends up in the mechanical. If you do it regularly it won't make a mess.

 

[duanes]

I like to keep bio-media in mesh bags, for easy removal, because I like to rinse the bio-media in water change water often.
By getting rid of mum, you are getting less robust, old worn out bio-bacteria, and allowing the more robust to thrive. Since most beneficials are aerobic too much crud build up can prevent respiration.

 

[esoxlucius]

Cheers guys, i feel more confident on how to approach this now. I'll take the loose stuff out slowly over the next couple of weeks, lightly rinse it in tank water and bag it all up this time. Then maybe once every month give my bio bags abit of a rinse just so there's no danger of them getting clogged again. I may add a filter sock to aid my mechanical side too. Thanks again.

 

[tiger15]

I like to keep bio-media in mesh bags, for easy removal, because I like to rinse the bio-media in water change water often.
By getting rid of mum, you are getting less robust, old worn out bio-bacteria, and allowing the more robust to thrive. Since most beneficials are aerobic too much crud build up can prevent respiration.

Yes, there is a truth to it. You need to rejuvenate the bio media periodically to make it vibrant. Letting too much scum build up in the media will support more non-nitrifying micros that compete with fish and nitrifying bacteria for oxygen. In a fluidized sand bed filter, you can actually see a layer of bacteria building up on top of the sand. Once the bacteria layer gets too thick, you have to discard it and let it build up again to restore the nitrifying effectiveness.