Brown Sludge In Fluval

[tkdjr1186]

Hey all. Just have a question regarding how you guys clean your filters. I have a Fluval 305 that has been cycled for well over 6 months now. I clean the sponges and everything every month but my water always has a slight haze to it. I never do anything with the water that is in the filter but that water is filled with the brown sludgey bacteria build up. Could this be negatively affecting the look of my water?

Also, if you do get rid of the sludge, how do you do it?

 

[KISSfn]

Clean the sponges and everything in tank water and dump the brown water. The bacteria is in the sponges and other media, not the water.

 

[tkdjr1186]

Clean the sponges and everything in tank water and dump the brown water. The bacteria is in the sponges and other media, not the water.

Yeah i know that it is in the media. When I dump the filter water should i refill it with tank water so that I don't have to prime it?

 

[KISSfn]

Yes.

 

[MBOU]

Way i did it was to:

-Turn filter off and unplug it and take lid off.
-Use a siphon to fill a bucket of water from the tank, just a few inchs of water.
-Clean all sponges and media in the bucket and then tip gunk out the filter into the buket, siphon water into th canister if needing to rinse it again.
-Siphon water from the tank into the filter until mostly full.
-Lid on filter and connect it up.
-Either top tank up or do more of a water change and gravel clean before topping up.
-Turn filter back on.

With a bit of practise i managed to do 50% water change and gravel clean on 260L heavily planted tank plus clean out all the filter in 15-20 minutes

 

[tkdjr1186]

Way i did it was to:

-Turn filter off and unplug it and take lid off.
-Use a siphon to fill a bucket of water from the tank, just a few inchs of water.
-Clean all sponges and media in the bucket and then tip gunk out the filter into the buket, siphon water into th canister if needing to rinse it again.
-Siphon water from the tank into the filter until mostly full.
-Lid on filter and connect it up.
-Either top tank up or do more of a water change and gravel clean before topping up.
-Turn filter back on.

With a bit of practise i managed to do 50% water change and gravel clean on 260L heavily planted tank plus clean out all the filter in 15-20 minutes

I'm definitely going to do it this way. I've cleaned this filter multiple times, just never though to dump that gunky water haha

 

[coldcazzie]

I connect my siphon to my hose as usual and start the water flowing, remove the filter lid and take it outside, run each basket under the flow of the water that's draining away until clean, and use it to clean the inside of the filter too, then refill and take back to tank and connect back up. Then carry on with the rest of the water change as usual. The really annoying job is cleaning the tubes. I hate cleaning the tubes

 

[tkdjr1186]

I connect my siphon to my hose as usual and start the water flowing, remove the filter lid and take it outside, run each basket under the flow of the water that's draining away until clean, and use it to clean the inside of the filter too, then refill and take back to tank and connect back up. Then carry on with the rest of the water change as usual. The really annoying job is cleaning the tubes. I hate cleaning the tubes

I have yet to clean the tubes...haha

 

[andyg81]

when i cleaned my filter i didnt realise i had to clean the tubes so when i fired the filter back up it fired loads of dirt back into the tank

how do you clean the tubes ???

 

[coldcazzie]

piece of wire/string with a scrap of cloth attached to the end, then you feed it down the tube and pull it through...

 

[MBOU]

Is it really bad that thats the best bit of cleaning tanks? Is so satisfying to get all the gunk out the pipes!!

Less so when I have to do 120 taps and strainers to clean and the pipework to and from the tanks every week! Still kinda satisfying when you find t flow dropped off and you get loads of gunk out the pipework lol

im mental i know!

 

[coldcazzie]

yeah a little bit!

I mostly just wish there was an easier way to do it than having to phaff about with a piece of towel on a string. I want to be able to scrub it clean with a scrubby pad... only I can't... it's so frustrating!

 

[MBOU]

JBL made a pipe cleaner on a springthing, when you push it through, it goes rigid and then stretches and cleans as you pull it back, not sure if this would help you?

Cant remember if i can post this or not so feel free to remove it and have a look at the link

The product is called a JBL Cleany (thank god for their clever naming system for their products )

http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JBL-Cleany-Aquarium-hose-cleaner-/280629497271?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item4156d24db7

 

[KISSfn]

Is it really bad that thats the best bit of cleaning tanks? Is so satisfying to get all the gunk out the pipes!!

Less so when I have to do 120 taps and strainers to clean and the pipework to and from the tanks every week! Still kinda satisfying when you find t flow dropped off and you get loads of gunk out the pipework lol

im mental i know!

No offence but I don't think that's the best part of tank cleaning. Next time I'm gonna try blasting hot tap water through them.

JBL made a pipe cleaner on a springthing, when you push it through, it goes rigid and then stretches and cleans as you pull it back, not sure if this would help you?

Cant remember if i can post this or not so feel free to remove it and have a look at the link

The product is called a JBL Cleany (thank god for their clever naming system for their products )

http/www.ebay.co.u...=item4156d24db7

I need to find one of those here. The one I have is only about 24 inches (60cm) long.

 

[FishFanatic04]

Hot water didn't work for me. Even a bleach solution too 30 mins to dissolve most of the gunk.

I get it, but you need to be a little OCD. I think. Besides...

Who doesn't like clean pipes?