I do not agree with the common practice of cleaning mechanical media with tank water. I prefer to overload my filters with bio media, which gets rinsed with tank water 3-4 times a year. The mechanical media gets rinsed with hot tap water once a week. I do this for 2 reasons. 1 I dont know about your guys mech media, but mine after a week is so gross it takes some pressure to get all that gunk out. 2 I dont want a significant amount of bio bacteria in y mechanical media. With 2 litres of biomax, 2 litres of denitrate, 24 bio stars, and 2 biowheels, I want most of it in the expensive biomedia. With 4 large filters for my 55 I have never had a min cycle or problem cleaning my mech with tap.
Where I disagree with the common filtration practices.
- Thread starter thacarter546
- Start date
I agree with you, if you have sufficient bio media then cleaning out 100% of your mech media shouldnt have a big impact.
I also like to separate bio and mech filtration, everytime i clean out my mech filters i wash it out completely, been doing that for years.
I also like to separate bio and mech filtration, everytime i clean out my mech filters i wash it out completely, been doing that for years.
I have never cleaned out my bio media. Only mechanical once a week. 30g of bio balls 1g matrix 2g ceramic rings a bunch of bio bail. Change my filter socks once a week. The only time my water parameters fluctuate the slightest bit is when I go on heavy feeding binges.
I do the same, never clean out my bio media. My mechanical filters are completely stripped clean by soaking it in bleach water for a day and letting it dry until the next change.
I also do not clean my bio media. I have a pond mesh with filter pads on my drip tray. I clean the mesh in the sink with tap water and put a new filter on top of the mesh.
I have commented on this before, but typically the time you rinse filter media in tap water is not sufficient contact time for the chlorine/chloramine residual to kill your bacteria.
it takes time to work.
this is usually why you do not get a mini cycle.
for example, here in ontario, water plants typically use a contact time of 20 minutes for disinfection.
when was the last time you rinsed your media for 20 minutes? lol
it takes time to work.
this is usually why you do not get a mini cycle.
for example, here in ontario, water plants typically use a contact time of 20 minutes for disinfection.
when was the last time you rinsed your media for 20 minutes? lol
Sounds to me more like you agree with common filtration practices, or what I consider common at least. Rinse my bio maybe once or twice a year, thoroughly cleaning mech media ranging from soaking in hot tap to even adding some bleach.
As 12 voltman said, liimted time in tap water isn't too harmful as I have a couple tanks that have only foam media. I have never had any issues with water params in those tanks after cleaning the media.
As 12 voltman said, liimted time in tap water isn't too harmful as I have a couple tanks that have only foam media. I have never had any issues with water params in those tanks after cleaning the media.