Cleaning the Filter

[Pamela]

How do you folks go about cleaning your filters, or rather, how thoroughly do you clean them? In the past, I've always had hang-on-the-back filters, and I periodically take them off, pull out everything, and rinse the brown sludge out of the entire works and then put it all back together. Now my sweet husband has built me a canister filter for my FW tank and is building another for my new SW tank. How often do I need to pull that whole thing apart and rinse it all down? Is there anything good that's building up inside that I really shouldn't rinse away? What are these "pods" I keep reading about? Are they some kind of small critters that my fish and shrimp get to eat?

 

[ndz98]

How do you folks go about cleaning your filters, or rather, how thoroughly do you clean them? In the past, I've always had hang-on-the-back filters, and I periodically take them off, pull out everything, and rinse the brown sludge out of the entire works and then put it all back together. Now my sweet husband has built me a canister filter for my FW tank and is building another for my new SW tank. How often do I need to pull that whole thing apart and rinse it all down? Is there anything good that's building up inside that I really shouldn't rinse away? What are these "pods" I keep reading about? Are they some kind of small critters that my fish and shrimp get to eat?

Pods are good for your tank. Fish can eat them but pods get rid of a lot of uneaten food and if I'm not mistaken, algae. I've heard of most people say vinegar does a good job at cleaning tank equipment.

 

[JPergamo]

If you going to use a canister filter and not a sump, you need to clean it often to prevent any build up of detritus in it. Rinsing will not cause any harm to beneficial bacteria on the media in the canister. Canister filters can be a bit of a Hotspot for unwanted nutrients that lead to algae problems, and are not overly popular in saltwater aquariums for that reason. I'm sure it can be done and be a benifit, but it needs vigorous maintenance.

 

[Jakepen]

If you going to use a canister filter and not a sump, you need to clean it often to prevent any build up of detritus in it. Rinsing will not cause any harm to beneficial bacteria on the media in the canister. Canister filters can be a bit of a Hotspot for unwanted nutrients that lead to algae problems, and are not overly popular in saltwater aquariums for that reason. I'm sure it can be done and be a benifit, but it needs vigorous maintenance.

Wouldn't it be best to rinse it in water taken from the tank? Or at least some RODI. I've read before that the chlorine in tap water will kill the bacteria.

 

[JPergamo]

Wouldn't it be best to rinse it in water taken from the tank? Or at least some RODI. I've read before that the chlorine in tap water will kill the bacteria.

It may kill some, but the nitrifying bacteria in our systems are very hardy and it's unlikely washing media in tap water would kill off a significant amount. If you are worried about that then yes you could always use RO water for it.... but that seems like a waste to me IMO.

 

[Jakepen]

It may kill some, but the nitrifying bacteria in our systems are very hardy and it's unlikely washing media in tap water would kill off a significant amount. If you are worried about that then yes you could always use RO water for it.... but that seems like a waste to me IMO.

What I've done is when changing water, will empty into a 5 gallon bucket. Than rinse out my media in that bucket, before dumping the water. Do you think there would be phosphates or nitrates suspended in that water, and I could possibly be soaking them up in my sponge, than returning them to my tank?

 

[MermaidTail]

Awesome question. I do this too, Jakepen!

 

[Pamela]

If you going to use a canister filter and not a sump, you need to clean it often to prevent any build up of detritus in it. Rinsing will not cause any harm to beneficial bacteria on the media in the canister. Canister filters can be a bit of a Hotspot for unwanted nutrients that lead to algae problems, and are not overly popular in saltwater aquariums for that reason. I'm sure it can be done and be a benifit, but it needs vigorous maintenance.

Good to know. Thanks! Truth is, I really have no idea what a sump is. I thought it was something that pushes a flow through the water - that its entire purpose was to create movement of water.

I'm afraid I might be applying too much of my freshwater know-how to my new saltwater setup.

 

[JPergamo]

Good to know. Thanks! Truth is, I really have no idea what a sump is. I thought it was something that pushes a flow through the water - that its entire purpose was to create movement of water.

I'm afraid I might be applying too much of my freshwater know-how to my new saltwater setup.

Best advice I give to anyone entering saltwater is to read and read and Google and youtube and read some more. Learn everything you can long before you apply it to your own system.

 

[Pamela]

Yes, I am reading. There is so much more to all of this than I'd imagined! A sump - good grief! I thought that was something people put in their basements in case of flooding. A refugeum to grow teeny water critters for my fishes and invertebrates to eat? I have no idea where I'd even put it. The special lighting requirements before I can even think about getting my first coral? Oh boy! It's all pretty overwhelming, really.

 

[Fin]

A little about sumps...

http://www.melevsreef.com/node/710

 

[JPergamo]

It is a lot to take in, but you never stop learning no matter how long you are in the hobby. As far as the sump and fuge go, start looking at designs from pre made sump/fuge systems. Follow how the water flows through it in the different chambers and what they are for. Then decide if you want a pre made sump or begin a diy project in making one.

 

[PatW]

Most people in the salt water side favor skimmers. If you have been to the sea shore and there is an offshore breeze, you often see sea foam. It is a collection of bubbles.

A skimmer is a tube with a bubble maker on the bottom. The complex organic molecules in the water adhere to the bubbles and reinforce them. These stiffened bubbles are carried up and over the top of the skimmer and fall into the collection cup.

It has two advantages over a canister filter. First a canister filter relies on the physical filter. It only removes particles. Skimmers get bio molecules. Secondly, a canister filter has to be cleaned often or the particles will break down and release phosphates and nitrates back into the tank. All the gunk from the skimmer collects in the cup where it is removed from the system.

Most people keep skimmers in their sump. If you want to remove particulates, you can run filter socks. Sumps are popular because you can put nearly all of the unsightly equipment down there: filter socks, skimmers, reactors, heaters, macro algae, rock rubble and even miniature mangrove forests.

 

[Screwgunner]

Ha ha ha ha welcome to the dark side . I have been reefing for 30 + years and still learning. First off alkalinity will be your first good lesson. Then ph . Magnesium, calcium, phosphates, and trace elements. May the force be with you. In the beginning ammonia, nitrite, nitrate. The cycle remember one word for saltwater( patients) may Allah be with you.