Cleaning Canister Filter

[LeeAberdeen]

I'm a bit confused about how to do this properly. I have a Fluval 305 and, while I know not to rinse the ceramic rings in tap water, what about the first-stage foam? As far as I know, that's for mechanical filtration and no beneficial bacteria are in it, so can I just wash it under the tap? Also, what about the biofoam I've put in after that and before the ceramic rings - tank water cleaning for that or under the tap?
 
Thanks for your help.

 

[Tartan-Guppy]

The best thing imo is to do it at the same time as a water change and keep a bucket aside for the filter. Clean anything you are cleaning using that water.
Nothing related to your filter should be cleaned with untreated tap water. Worst case scenario is fill a bucket of tap water and then use dechlorinator before any washing / rinsing

 

[LeeAberdeen]

On Fluval's own instruction video, though, the bloke's cleaning quite a few bits using tap water, such as the media trays and the canister itself. Unfortunately, it's not for a 305 so there are different bits he's cleaning and I couldn't work out which bit was for mechanical filtration. I'm sure it's not the case that everything has to be cleaned in tank water, even if that's the way you do it, because the beneficial bacteria attach themselves to the biological media. I'm just trying to work out which bits count as biological

 

[Fishmanic]

I think bacteria will grow on all forms of media so all media should be rinsed only in tank water.   I wash the media holder in tap water but I dry it thoroughly after.   Haven't had any problems with ammonia or nitrite spikes.

 

[Gruntle]

EVERYTHING in the filter has bacteria growing in it.  Trust us.
 
For my canister (which has 2 media trays), I siphon a bucket of water from the tank, turn off, disconnect the canister and move it to the sink.  Take it apart, including removing the sponges from the tops of the media trays, take each media tray in turn and plunge it in and out of the water to rinse off any large particles (mainly plant leaves). I take each sponge and gently squeeze and swish it in the bucket of water a couple of times (apart from the white filter floss which gets a good hard squeezing because it's usually the dirtiest). Then reassemble.
 
There have been a couple of times when I've needed a second bucket of water from the tank because the water was a bit too dirty for my liking, but since I usually do a 20% water change at the same time (5-6 buckets) this isn't a problem.
 
Your first stage foam may have quite a lot of bacteria growing in it, since it should get the most/strongest water flow being first in line. I'm no expert, and while it may not be the case that everything has to be cleaned in tank water (I don't know enough to confirm or deny this), it's easier to follow our advice than constantly go through cycling issues in your tank if you keep wiping out your bacteria colonies. For a bit of extra work you'll have a healthier tank, and isn't that what it's all about?

 

[Stimo]

as already said bacteria will grow everywhere in there ....do not run under tap water!
 
rinse gently in aquarium water only otherwise you're looking at running into big problems

 

[Lunar Jetman]

I would just amend Gruntle's comments personally. I have three trays in my filter, one with ceramics, the other two with sponges plus a layer of filter wool at the top. I usually clean out one set of trays at the cleaning time only rather than rinse all sponges (I've got 4 in each) and I generally leave the ceramics alone.
 
Cleaning in tank water is generally considered to be the best thing to do as tap water has all the things in it that are taken out with your tap safe product that are harmful to your fish. 

 

[Gruntle]

Fair call, Lunar Jetman. I don't rinse the ceramice every clean, just when I think they look too dirty.