Trying not to make a mistake.

[663]

Just over a month ago, I lost my secondary filter. I bought a replacement and put it inline. The interesting thing ($) is that I had replaced my main filter as well about 8-weeks earlier. I told myself at the time I'd take a look at the media in the filter when I thought it had cycled-in, to see if it had worked as advertised.

Well, that time has come +1-week. The kicker is that my new secondary is still maturing. I'm scratching my face off trying not to pop my main open for a peek!

My question is this: Would I be taking a chance by opening my primary for a gander? I don't intend to do any cleaning or otherwise that might disturb the BB. I just want to see if it's as clean as I heard it would be after an extended period of not being serviced. Yes, I could force myself to wait another month but curiosity is punching at me.

Thanks in advance for your opinion!

 

[PheonixKingZ]

If you clean the filter properly, you won’t loose any beneficial bacteria.

Make sure to not wash any of the media in tap water. Use old tank water and swish it around.

You can wash the main filter housing (works on HOB and internal, not sure which one is yours) with hot tap water, just don’t use any chemicals.

 

[663]

If you clean the filter properly, you won’t loose any beneficial bacteria.

Make sure to not wash any of the media in tap water. Use old tank water and swish it around.

You can wash the main filter housing (works on HOB and internal, not sure which one is yours) with hot tap water, just don’t use any chemicals.

Since my secondary has only been inline for 2-weeks I figure fully servicing my relatively new primary could be a a big mistake, PKZ. What I'm trying to do is ascertain how much detritus has accumulated in the main body of my primary out of pure curiosity. The "dual cavity" OASE 600 is supposed to be able to go much longer between cleanings than then the 9-weeks its been running. As far as a year in one video I've seen. That idea was sexy enough to make me buy it. I really want to see if it's true, but not at the expense of damaging its BB. No cleaning, just looking about carefully.

I'm guessing that I'm being overly concerned, though.

 

[cdelly]

I would have taken it off to look at ages ago lol

but you will be fine and might as well clean it whilst it's off, as long as you clean the sponges/filter media in tank water then you will be fine

 

[OnlyGenusCaps]

Well, that time has come +1-week. The kicker is that my new secondary is still maturing. I'm scratching my face off trying not to pop my main open for a peek!

I'm assuming we are talking about canister filters here. Many people have a single filter and can easily clean them with no ill effects, without a backup. I believe you recently pointed out that your tank can go for x number of hours without the filter running and not have issues (sorry, I can't recall the number of hours off the top of my head). My point is just that you should be fine to take a look without causing an serious problems.

Make sure to not wash any of the media in tap water.

In general is the a myth that is very persistent in hobby. Here is a great video explaining why it is not true, with citations.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

In general is the a myth that is very persistent in hobby. Here is a great video explaining why it is not true, with citations.

A member recently tried to convince everyone that what you say is true, I didn’t buy it. I like the old ways and I will keep doing what I was taught.

 

[OnlyGenusCaps]

A member recently tried to convince everyone that what you say is true, I didn’t buy it. I like the old ways and I will keep doing what I was taught.

No worries. What you are doing won't hurt anything. I just posted that for people who are interested in learning.

 

[663]

I'm assuming we are talking about canister filters here. Many people have a single filter and can easily clean them with no ill effects, without a backup. I believe you recently pointed out that your tank can go for x number of hours without the filter running and not have issues (sorry, I can't recall the number of hours off the top of my head). My point is just that you should be fine to take a look without causing an serious problems.

I've owned cannister filters for a very long time, but I'm sure I don't know everything there is to know about them or the biology they're designed to maintain. With a primary filter being fully cycled in, and a secondary filter just starting to cycle up, I wanted to investigate possible damage to the BB of my ONE fully functional filter if I opened and aggressively examined it under my conditions. Conditions I thought I'd explained in detail. So you all have an idea what I'm about: Since it was my idea to bring these animals into my home, I owe them as much safety and comfort as I can afford. This is why I started this seemingly incomprehensible thread. Just in case there was something I hadn't heard about.

I think it's important to remember that we all approach the hobby in disparate ways.

 

[663]

A member recently tried to convince everyone that what you say is true, I didn’t buy it. I like the old ways and I will keep doing what I was taught.

Agreed. I took the information for what it is, but I'll continue to do things as I have for now.

 

[cdelly]

In general is the a myth that is very persistent in hobby. Here is a great video explaining why it is not true, with citations.

Have always thought that, we change sometimes over 50% of the water and the filter still keeps on functioning.

Just find it easier to wash them in the bucket next to the tank, having said that i have washed with tapwater before now