How often do u clean out your canisters?

[Gr8KarmaSF]

I dont know to much about bio loads and bacteria on the spectrum of fish keeping, so I was wondering for all the canister users, how often do you clean your canisters outs? How often should one replace their canister carbon?

 

[cougar579]

I clean my canister when I notice the flow rate dropping. Other than that leave it. Carbon will only last a couple of days usually.

 

[sohfatfish]

Try not to use carbon unless you are removing medicine or heavy metals from your water. Carbon tends to leech everything back out once they reach saturation point which is usually takes 4 weeks. I clean my canister once every two months. Just change the top filter wool and give the rest of the filter media a slight rinse with aquarium water so as not to kill the BB off.

 

[Gr8KarmaSF]

Try not to use carbon unless you are removing medicine or heavy metals from your water. Carbon tends to leech everything back out once they reach saturation point which is usually takes 4 weeks. I clean my canister once every two months. Just change the top filter wool and give the rest of the filter media a slight rinse with aquarium water so as not to kill the BB off.

I thought carbon should always be used in your filter to help remove amonia? Are you telling me that its only use is for removing medicine and heavy metals?

 

[orlok]

I thought carbon should always be used in your filter to help remove amonia? Are you telling me that its only use is for removing medicine and heavy metals?

Read this article.

http://marineland.com/science/articles/16ActivatedCarb.asp

 

[Hasi]

Great article thanks for sharing!

 

[redtailfool]

I clean my canisters every 2 weeks. I have 2 running on my big tank so i alternate between those 2.

 

[Gr8KarmaSF]

Read this article.

http://marineland.com/science/articles/16ActivatedCarb.asp

gr8 article, very helpful, one of the reasons why i love this this website.

orlok your avatar scares me!

 

[Just1nK4ng]

Try not to use carbon unless you are removing medicine or heavy metals from your water. Carbon tends to leech everything back out once they reach saturation point which is usually takes 4 weeks. I clean my canister once every two months. Just change the top filter wool and give the rest of the filter media a slight rinse with aquarium water so as not to kill the BB off.

i agress you want to keep all the good bacteria

 

[kraker1983]

i clean mine once ever 2-4 months