Filter Question

[CinnamonPearl]

Is it bad that every time I turn on my HOB filter after a water change, it spills a lot of debris into the tank? It's an Aqueon 70. The filter is properly maintianed. The media is cleaned out every other week and I do a complete cleanout every eight weeks. I've been considering switching to a canister filter. Does this mean it's time to change?

 

[Fishfriend1]

That gunk is pretty much built up fish waste that feeds and houses bacterial colonies. Actually it may be the colonies as well. I never do anything with it, I just leave the filter unless it's overflowing the top of the frame anywhere. I don't think it harms the fish (sometimes my fish eat hit hur) but don't quote me on that.

 

[CinnamonPearl]

That's a relief. The fish don't seem bothered, anyways.

 

[Glabe]

^yeah. You can put a prefilter on the intake to slow the growth. And simply hold a net in front of the filter when you turn it on to catch the gunk

 

[MostlyHarmless]

When it's time before a large water change I clean out the mech filter (filter pad not the Aqueon filters. I squeeze the gunk out and shake up the filter so that it's in the water column...then I start my water change. Most of it gets sucked out, what doesn't gets caught again by the filter.

Canister filters have their advantages, but good HOB filters typically have higher turn over rates, more surface agitation, and if you use additional bio housing, can have equal surface area.