Filter Cleaning Question

[WaterBaby]

How important is it to clean your filter housing (inside the filter pad compartment, return compartment and ledge)? I do clean the inflow tube, but noticed that the ledge where the water returns to the tank has a build up of algae.

I have an eclipse system with the filter built into the hood.

[Cichlid Woman]

I clean it out when it gets funky--usually every 4 weeks or so on my AquaClear 200.

-- Pat

[125gJoe]

If it's not much trouble, try and clean it everytime. It's probably not good to let too much stuff build up on there.

[Orbitorly]

Yeah clean it out everytime you change your filter.