Filters

[robert clements]

how offern do you clean your filter sponge once a month ore once a evey two weeks

 

[mattyeatsmatts]

if its blocked

 

[MegaZerino]

every three weeks or if ive replanted and some of the substrate has got into the filter

 

[Verminator89]

In my cichlid tanks, first water change of every month.

In my planted tank, never...it always looks like it did the day i got it out of the box. I love planted tanks

 

[robert clements]

thanks all. must keep an eye on the filter then did have sand in the filter today . i mite give it three weeks at a time

 

[AbbeysDad]

Unless you have a planted tank, you should service the filter weekly. Why? The filter is trapping detritus (fish waste, uneaten food, crud). But that's not the end of it. It decomposes there and the water flow pushes the organics in solution (think of manure tea) through the filter and back into the tank. Oh the filter won't plug and could run this way for weeks or months....but the pollution is being pushed round and round. Of course, the weekly water change will remove a portion of this....but if the filter is serviced more often, there's less decomposed manure tea in the water so the water is cleaner and the water change even more effective.
Now in a planted tank, these organics in solution (the manure tea) is liquid fertilizer, much of which the plants will absorb, reducing amounts of required ferts.

Food for thought.

 

[Primous]

NEVER!

Since cycling to the point where 5ppm of ammonia and the resulting nitrite can be dealt with in under 12 hours, I have never cleaned the filter sponges because that's where the bacs live. I have seen way too many "mini cycles" induced by someone "cleaning."

Been in the hobby for close to 4 years and everything I have read suggests you don't need to clean your filter. My bacs do such a good job that I don't even like moving the filter let alone opening it.

Just my two cents...

 

[robert clements]

i only clean the plastick and not the sponge and tacke off plant mater in the tank water

 

[zuulan]

Not done unless the flow begins to drop. So about twice a year. The bacteria breaking down the ammonia/nitrite is all that matters really.

 

[Aqua Tom]

Not at all unless the flow noticably drops.

Tom

 

[robert clements]

i think i do it when the filter clogs up then. and when the flow drops thanks all