Do you guys clean your Bio Media?

[siebertn]

Lately I have noticed my flow from my sump seems a bit "less" than usual so i was thinking of cleaning my bio out seeing that it has been in the sump for about 2 years without being touched.

I was thinking about just rinsing it in some old tank water when i do my water changes tonight.
Will that be OK for the BB or must i rather leave the Media just the way it is.

The mechanical media gets cleaned out once a week so i know its not the cause for the loss in output.

Thanks

 

[Lupin]

Give it a light swish until all the muck fall off using old tank water. That's it.

 

[geronimo69]

Give it a light swish until all the muck fall off using old tank water. That's it.

That's the advice I was going to give. Lupin is on top of it, as ususal

I'm curious to know what your nitrates are sitting at after 2 years of waste build up...

 

[gomezladdams]

Thats how I do it.

 

[siebertn]

That's the advice I was going to give. Lupin is on top of it, as ususal

I'm curious to know what your nitrates are sitting at after 2 years of waste build up...

Almost nothing.

There is about 10 Kg of ceramic rings in my sump and the water goes through 3 stages of mechanical filtration before it gets to the rings.
I just thought after 2 years I should give them a clean.

 

[geronimo69]

Almost nothing.

There is about 10 Kg of ceramic rings in my sump and the water goes through 3 stages of mechanical filtration before it gets to the rings.
I just thought after 2 years I should give them a clean.

Oh nice, then you're laughing. A quick rinse in tank water and you're off to the races.

 

[siebertn]

Oh nice, then you're laughing. A quick rinse in tank water and you're off to the races.

It just feels to me that the flow from the sump has decreased maybe the rings have compacted or something LOL or maybe im just dreaming.

 

[siebertn]

Well i must say i was a bit surprised to see the state of my sump after 2 years, i thought the rings would be crystal clear but there was more dirt on there than i would of suspected.
At least every thing is nice and clean again.

 

[fox3]

Lately I have noticed my flow from my sump seems a bit "less" than usual so i was thinking of cleaning my bio out seeing that it has been in the sump for about 2 years without being touched.

Is your pump slowing down?

If not and your sump is flowing less then your water level in the DT isa rising.

I just stir up the bio media once a year or whenever a juvie somehow gets into there.