Cleaning filter pads

WinterWind

WinterWind

Mad pianist
Feb 11, 2005
957
0
0
Hi,

I have a ten gallon with a HOB power filter on it, and I use cut-out pads for my filter. I used to change my filter pad every two weeks or so when it got dirty, but I read that the filter pads have alot of vital bacteria. I haven't changed my pad for a few weeks now because it might fluctuate ammonia and nitrate levels in my aquarium for lack of bacteria. Now, my question is, how do I safely clean my filter pad? Is it okay for me just to change the filter pad twice a month, or will that get rid of too much of my beneficial bacteria? How do you guys clean your filter pads in order to get them clean yet also keeping the beneficial bacteria alive?

Thanks.
 
Never replace 100% of your filter media in one shot. You'll lose most of the bacteria.

1. At each water change, rinse and squeeze out the media to clean out the dirt. You'll probably lose a small portion of bacteria that will quickly be replenished. Keep using the same media until they are too worn out.

2. Use a stack of three pieces of filter media introduced at different times, e.g. one month apart. When you have to replace some media, just replace the oldest one third. Aquaclear is a very good design to use this method. Our largest LFS is doing this with a lot of Aquaclear filters.
 
I have a Whisper HOB also, like Spatan, I chucked the Bio-Bag and stuffed it full of sponge. I robbed some sponge from my AC filter and cut it to fit. It's in two pieces, so when it wears down, I replace one piece at a time. When I do a water change, I just rinse the sponge in the old tank water...
 
I use polyester hypo-allergenic craft supply or quilting batting.
I just stick it on top of my sponge filter in both my filters. I like it for fine filtering small particles.
When it gets really dirty, I chuck it and put in a clean mop of it. I just rinse the sponges in tank water when water changing. Its at walmart for a couple bucks a big bag :)
 
sponge conversion

Some of the online pet retailers sell a sponge conversion kit for Whispers. Really cheap, a holder that slides into the slot on the filter and a sponge that fits it, maybe $4. I just started changing out the bag less often, when I did, I'd cut a bit of the old bag and put inside the new bag.
 
I have one 10 gallon that has a Whisper HOB.

It also has tons of anacharis in it so I just change the cartridge it came with but it also has a small foam pad that colonizes with bacteria that the water flows through.

It works.
 
RanchuRick said:
Never replace 100% of your filter media in one shot. You'll lose most of the bacteria.

2. Use a stack of three pieces of filter media introduced at different times, e.g. one month apart. When you have to replace some media, just replace the oldest one third. Aquaclear is a very good design to use this method. Our largest LFS is doing this with a lot of Aquaclear filters.
Click to expand...

That dosent matter. Replace it all at once if you want. There is already enought bacteria on the glass, gravel, etc.
 
That dosent matter. Replace it all at once if you want. There is already enought bacteria on the glass, gravel, etc.
Click to expand...
I beg to differ. Depending on your bioload, if you swap all your media, the amount of nitrifying bacteria on the gravel may not be enough to keep up. I woulldn't suggest doing a 100% media swap ever
 
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