I open my canisters and dump the brown gunk and water out(two marine land c360s), but I don't rinse the media since I don't use floss, only bio balls and rings. I do this once a month
How often do you guys wash filters?
- Thread starter weichen14
- Start date
This is one reason why i dont ask some questions. It always has to be a fight. O and am kind new but have had fish since i was 6. But started on my own at 12.
For me. I clean my HOB filters once a month. I run ac110's so I just clean the sponge really good and the ceramic rings I just dip in a bucket of fish tank water just to loosen up gunk, and put new/clean mircon padding in and R2G 
For my sump. I only clean the filter sock, blue padding and micron padding(more like switch it out with a fresh stuff and the dirty stuff I just clean for next time) each time I do a WC which is once a week.
For my sump. I only clean the filter sock, blue padding and micron padding(more like switch it out with a fresh stuff and the dirty stuff I just clean for next time) each time I do a WC which is once a week.
If you are lazy or unsure how often you need to clean your filters, don't run any filters that require cleaning, which means you stay out of canister or AC filters which contain bio media or foam that need to be cleaned.
In my opinion and experience, you don't need external bio media to run a healthy freshwater tank. A thin substrate in the tank will provide plenty of in-situ bio media. Just make sure you provide adequate flow over the substrate by HOBs or powerheads. You don't need a thick substrate, just 1/2 inch is enough because any thicker substrate is a waste and will go anaerobic beneath the surface. You do need to vacuum the substrate in WC to remove the particulate waste (gunk) built up, and regular WC to remove the dissolved waste that no filters can remove.
I run HOBs to provide water flow and mechanical filtration. Penquin type filters do not contain or require filter media cleaning, just replace the filter pads which I cut from poly batting I bought cheaply from fabric stores by the yard. http://www.joann.com/search?q=polyester batting It takes about 3 min to replace the filter pads in each filter, but you do need to invest some time to precut the pads which is a clean, dry job.
On the average of 3 to 4 months, I do need to pull out the impeller to clean the gunk as it will stop restarting. That's the only cleaning I need to do, simple and easy.
In my opinion and experience, you don't need external bio media to run a healthy freshwater tank. A thin substrate in the tank will provide plenty of in-situ bio media. Just make sure you provide adequate flow over the substrate by HOBs or powerheads. You don't need a thick substrate, just 1/2 inch is enough because any thicker substrate is a waste and will go anaerobic beneath the surface. You do need to vacuum the substrate in WC to remove the particulate waste (gunk) built up, and regular WC to remove the dissolved waste that no filters can remove.
I run HOBs to provide water flow and mechanical filtration. Penquin type filters do not contain or require filter media cleaning, just replace the filter pads which I cut from poly batting I bought cheaply from fabric stores by the yard. http://www.joann.com/search?q=polyester batting It takes about 3 min to replace the filter pads in each filter, but you do need to invest some time to precut the pads which is a clean, dry job.
On the average of 3 to 4 months, I do need to pull out the impeller to clean the gunk as it will stop restarting. That's the only cleaning I need to do, simple and easy.
I never thought about it till last night when I wasn't cleaning my cannisters during water changes. I use Rid X also. Maybe everyone should use it that has to clean cannister filters all the time. 
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I never thought about it till last night when I wasn't cleaning my cannisters during water changes. I use Rid X also. Maybe everyone should use it that has to clean cannister filters all the time.
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Rid x the septic system cleaner? http://www.rid-x.com/
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Cheap way to decrease nitrates and keep your fish healthy: http://monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=504763
Don't kid me to use Rid to clean canister. Rid is made up of enzymes to digest household waste in a septic system, which is high in fat, grease and urea contents. Gunk in canister media has none of the above, and is mostly fibers. You don't add chemicals to an aquarium system without knowing what their effects on fish.
Never be afraid to ask. So what if the "know it alls" gets their panties in a bunch. There's always useful info to be had....although, you may have to sift through all the "crap" first. Big kudos, to posters who manned up and apologized......this doesn't happen very often.
