Filter cleaning - when? how often?

[Gomisan]

I have an Aquaone AR-380 tank. The filter consists of a wad of padding over a bunch of ceramic nodules which water flows over before returning to the tank.

Obviously this is home to all the good bacteria and so forth, so I don't want to cause a mini-cycle by cleaning it. But conversly I am concerned that it may require cleaning from time to time.

How should this be cleaned? and how often?

I think there is charcoal in there too, and I was told that although it's not really needed, it should be changed every 3 months. Is that about right?

 

[test4echo]

The carbon and the foam/filtration material should be replaced, but the ceramic noodle-things shouldn't be replaced, just rinse them off a bit each time you replace the other filter media.

 

[Gomisan]

How often? monthly? 3 monthly?

 

[test4echo]

I do it at the end of every month for my Fluval canister filter, but I've heard of people changing it every week (which can get expensive) and people changing it every 3 months. I do it once a month, which is what I usually do for all my filters.

 

[cyberbeer65]

I clean my filters bi-weekly.

 

[test4echo]

I'm stupid--Is bi-weekly twice a week or every 2 weeks? My hypothesis is every 2 weeks. :duh:

 

[cyberbeer65]

I'm stupid--Is bi-weekly twice a week or every 2 weeks? My hypothesis is every 2 weeks. :duh:

Every two weeks....