What are the chances of killing BB with filter change?

[Bderick67]

They other thing id like to mention is that every couple weeks when I do water changes with the old filters, id chuck and replace all the media and sometimes scrub the filters, coupled with a 40-50% water change. My fish have always been healthy, the dats stable for the most part. So maybe there is sufficient BB in the water column to restart the culture, or maybe its because I have alot of surface area with large rocks, driftwood, plants and sand? Im sure the fairly slow flow rate of the old HOB filters helped also.

A lot of maybe's. Why not just get confirmation and test your water for levels of ammonia, nitrite and nitrates.

 

[srikamaraja]

Never "chuck and replace" the biological media, EVER.

The amount of BB in the water column is zero. BB need a substrate/surface to adhere to.

The low flow of the HOB filters hurts, if anything. BB function better the more turnover you have.

Large rocks and driftwood will become "Live" and host BB, but only if there is a large amount of flow directed at them.

 

[brianp]

They other thing id like to mention is that every couple weeks when I do water changes with the old filters, id chuck and replace all the media and sometimes scrub the filters, coupled with a 40-50% water change. My fish have always been healthy, the dats stable for the most part. So maybe there is sufficient BB in the water column to restart the culture, or maybe its because I have alot of surface area with large rocks, driftwood, plants and sand? Im sure the fairly slow flow rate of the old HOB filters helped also.

Your attention to cleanliness is admirable, but you don't want to discard the biofiltration media.

 

[wonword]

So I guess I dont understand how you clean a filter without chucking the filter pad or washing it and killing the BB? Ive only had HOB filters and internal filters in the past, and there has only been one cartridge or sponge that does the filterering, no room for bioballs or anything or else the HOB would overflow out the top and not even pass through the filter. So pretty much my bio-filtration was also my mechanical filtration. This is my first canister, so is it different in that I should have some bioballs? Right now it is just set up with two trays of sponges, but i think the room underneath the bottom tray might be left there for bio-media? Can anbody with an Eheim Pro II clarify how they set it up? Thanks for the help.