Maintenance of chambers

[Ariel'sMom]

Hello! I have a 47 gal saltwater tank, all in one that’s been up and running for 3 months. Before this, I had a 29 gal with external filter. What are the recommendations for cleaning the internal filter chambers? I just noticed there is red debris in the chamber. I do water changes once a week. I clean the socks weekly. The water looks good as far as clarity and fish and corals are doing well. My nitrates are up at 30 which is new. I did start feeding corals over the last 2 weeks.
Any help appreciated.

 

[blaxsun]

I found a long-handled scrub brush that can get into all the corners and crevices worked well. And one of those disposable electric toothbrushes,

 

[Rmckoy]

I found a long-handled scrub brush that can get into all the corners and crevices worked well. And one of those disposable electric toothbrushes,

What about a small bottle brush typically used for cleaning test tubes ?

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

I once made the mistake of never vacuuming those back chambers in an AIO. WOW the crud in there after a year. Even using filter floss and a skimmer the next to last chamber filled with ick about 1 inch deep. It was pod heaven so I left it and monitored my phos as well as nitrates. Never had a problem. Tank still grows today. I cleaned it out by poking the "silt" with a length of rigid air line once a week, with a filter sock stuffed with filter floss in the over flow.

I was afraid I would release all sorts of nasty. The corals all loved it when I would do that. It took about a year to clear it out that way and the corals grew better that year than any other time in that tank.

 

[Ariel'sMom]

I once made the mistake of never vacuuming those back chambers in an AIO. WOW the crud in there after a year. Even using filter floss and a skimmer the next to last chamber filled with ick about 1 inch deep. It was pod heaven so I left it and monitored my phos as well as nitrates. Never had a problem. Tank still grows today. I cleaned it out by poking the "silt" with a length of rigid air line once a week, with a filter sock stuffed with filter floss in the over flow.

I was afraid I would release all sorts of nasty. The corals all loved it when I would do that. It took about a year to clear it out that way and the corals grew better that year than any other time in that tank.

Thank you for the advice! Since my nitrates are high, and I’m new at this, should I be doing anything else? As I said earlier, everything looks healthy and then I discovered the gunk in the chamber. I don’t have filer floss…should I be using it?
Thanks again!

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

It helps some. I still use filter floss in a media basket in in my over flow chamber and a skimmer in my second chamber. But now I use a low flow pump to start a syphon so that I can vacuum out the second chamber every few water changes. its mostly sediment though these days.

 

[blaxsun]

What about a small bottle brush typically used for cleaning test tubes ?

Anything that doesn't contain metal will work.

 

[Ariel'sMom]

It helps some. I still use filter floss in a media basket in in my over flow chamber and a skimmer in my second chamber. But now I use a low flow pump to start a syphon so that I can vacuum out the second chamber every few water changes. its mostly sediment though these days.

Thank you!