Mechanical Media Toxic Build-up

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Dont worry about a bit of grey.. thats just the good bacteria living in the media. Just rinse the actual gunge out.

Eventually the media will get too clogged up or start to break up and you need to replace it. But that takes ages. A partially dirty filter actually does a better job of filtering than a 100% clean one. Just rinse you most of the gunge in old tank water :)

Cheers

Ian
 
so i'm better off buying the 4 pack, once a year(instead of 12) right
 
yeah i have a whisper 60 on my 55 (as well as other filtration) and it has been running for about 8 months or so, and i haven't changed the bio-bags yet just rinsed them, so depending on how many fish are in your tank and the size of you filter 4 should prolly last you a couple years, mind you you could replace them more often then i do if u wanted too
 
I use fluff (pillow stuffing) in box filters and HOBs.

When it gets dirty I throw it out and replace it. Leaving dirty fluff in your filters is the equivalent of leaving poop in your gravel...which leads to high organics (nitrate, etc.)

I don't rinse out mechanical media b/c it's really cheap, but there's no reason not to...just be thorough about it.
 
thanks canucksfan and dogofwar.
it's in a turtle tank.

you know if you rinse bio media in tap water it kills the beneficial bacteria; ..can you kill nitrates/nitrites in tap water?
 
For you to truely understand the answer to this question, you are going to need to understand the difference between nitrites and nitrates. Really it would be best for you to actually understand the nitrogen cycle.
click here to see the Nitrogen Cycle
 
Oh o.k...let me re-prase then.
Will I be able to kill off nitrites in running tap water?(like beneficial bacteria)
 
Again, you do not understand what nitrites are. Did you even take a minute to look at the link I provided? The nitrogen cycle is the first thing you should understand if you are planning on keeping fish. This basic knowledge will help you understand the answers given to the questions which you are asking.
 
Yes I read that the ammonia turns into nitrite which can turn into less toxic nitrate.
i don't plan on keeping fish

i'm not trying to be pushy but can you just answer my question please..can I wash(kill) off nit with sink water.
i read somehwere that either one of the nit builds up on mechanical media and that can be toxic
 
Nitrite is not a living thing so there is no way to kill it. Nitrite is contained in the water so no way to wash it off. The beneficial bacteria consumes the nitrites that is how you get rid of them.

You don't plan on keeping fish:confused::screwy::ROFL:
 
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