When To Give The Filter It's First Clean

[Tonyb111111]

Hi yet again, can anyone advise me when I should clean my filter for the first time? It's a 200litre tank been going for week. Thanks

 

[Noahs ark6]

I would give it another week or two. I clean my filter when i notice a drop in water flow, or when i think the sponge is becoming too clogged up. (Make sure you wash the filter sponge in aquarium water )

 

[Aquaman187]

I have my own 20g us tank running for about 3weeks should i clean the filter its still cyclying .

And is it really important to wash the filter in aqurium water i clean the cartride with tap water.

 

[Rummynose]

If you clean the filter with chlorinated tap water you kill the bacteria in the filter.

The mechanical filter, that catches all the debris from your tank you can give a good rinse in tap water, but then condition it with dechlorinated water before placing it back into the filter housing.

The biological filter you will want to wash in used tank water or in dechlorinated water so as to not kill the bacteria.
Otherwise you have to start the cycling all over again.

 

[XeroTolerance]

I would wait 3 weeks more just in case. I just added live plants to my tank today so my pre-filter sponge has a ton of junk on it that I have to take off tomorrow. xD

 

[minnnt]

Has it been cycled?

 

[Aquaman187]

If you clean the filter with chlorinated tap water you kill the bacteria in the filter.

The mechanical filter, that catches all the debris from your tank you can give a good rinse in tap water, but then condition it with dechlorinated water before placing it back into the filter housing.

The biological filter you will want to wash in used tank water or in dechlorinated water so as to not kill the bacteria.
Otherwise you have to start the cycling all over again.

omg i didn't know that !! thank you ...another question instead of buying a new cartridge couldn't i just buy the carbon pellets that go inside the cotton part.

 

[minnnt]

Mechanical filtration eventually becomes biological though so shouldn't be rinsed in plain tap water. That would cause a massive drop in your bacterial colony. The mechanical filtration in my externals are probably an inch thich and about 5-6" square, so hold alot of bacteria. If your tank has alot of debris then you're not cleaning it right.

 

[Tonyb111111]

I would give it another week or two. I clean my filter when i notice a drop in water flow, or when i think the sponge is becoming too clogged up. (Make sure you wash the filter sponge in aquarium water )

Thanks, I planted the aquarium the day after filling so am slightly concerned the filter may be clogged up with detritus. Still getting a decent flow though, so maybe it's not as bad as I think. Should I stiill leave it a week?

 

[minnnt]

There is no set time. If the flow is good then leave it until you notice it drop. If the filter is not cycled then it will set it back if you clean it.

Just clean the strainer.

 

[Tonyb111111]

There is no set time. If the flow is good then leave it until you notice it drop. If the filter is not cycled then it will set it back if you clean it.

Just clean the strainer.

Thanks, that what I needed to here. Flow is good, plants have good motion and I don't want cycle time to extended

 

[minnnt]

Just ensure the strainer is clear then and you will be fine. Do them once a month when they are mature as there will hardly be anything in there atm.

G'luck.

 

[CezzaXV]

omg i didn't know that !! thank you ...another question instead of buying a new cartridge couldn't i just buy the carbon pellets that go inside the cotton part.

Alot of filter manufacturers will tell you to replace the cartridges every X weeks/months, but this is just a moneymaking scheme. You don't need to replace them unless they're physically falling apart. Why would you chuck all your bacteria away?

 

[FishFanatic04]

I thought the carbon would be depleted after so many weeks in power filters with those cartridges. My filters are Biowheel so they bacteria lives there and the filter right? So do you change the filter? or only when it falls apart...

 

[XeroTolerance]

I thought the carbon would be depleted after so many weeks in power filters with those cartridges. My filters are Biowheel so they bacteria lives there and the filter right? So do you change the filter? or only when it falls apart...

I think the carbon does get depleted, thats why companies ask you to buy more cartridges. I refrain from changing my carbon filter. It has been running for months with no problem. When it does start to fall apart though I'll tie a new cartridge to the old one to "mature" it faster.