Replacing biomedia?

[echoofformless]

I know it says on the box for things like Ehfisubstrat and the other brands of ceramic media that you should replace it from time to time - but does this really have to be done? Honestly what could possibly happen to this stuff that a weekly rinsing doesn't remove? I haven't replaced any of it for several years and I see no issues. Just the marketing guys trying to sell us more stuff we don't need?

 

[khombre]

Good thing you asked... I'm wondering the same thing. I haven't replaced any of the ceramic media in my filter for years now. I just rinse them off weekly. Never had any major problems so I'm wondering maybe it shouldn't need to be replaced at all.

 

[echoofformless]

I really don't see why it would need to be replaced. It doesn't wear out, break down or degrade in any way. It isn't absorptive to a degree where it can begin to harbor dangerous crap that will leach back into the water. And I don't see how it could ever stop being able to be a place for the bacteria to live. Ergo no reason to replace it.

For that matter I don't ever change mechanical filtration sponges either. They just get rinsed well and put right back in. The sponges on my Fluval 104 are almost three years old now.

 

[OldMan47]

The only reason that I can see to change media is if it wears out. For sponge type media, sooner or later it won't look like a sponge any more, it will break down. I suppose eventually the ceramic stuff could start to disintegrate but have not experienced it. Carbon will become exhausted as a chemical filter very quickly but that won't hurt its bio function. Filter floss probably isn't worth the trouble to clean it unless its the only thing in your filter.

 

[J double R]

I've had my Eheim biomedia (ehfisubstrat, etc) for nearly four years now, and haven't done anything but rinse it occasionally.

 

[Sploke]

Same thing with my lava rock, some of it is 4-6 years old and its still works fine.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Bio media will clog over time. Sponges are easy to rinse, other ceramic/gravel type media is not. Over time it will clog, some faster and more than others.

Bio media is effective the more surface area that is available- this is why porus materials work best. Fine mech waste will build up and reduce the surface area. That is why in most media eventually needs to be replaced over time.

 

[echoofformless]

Bio media will clog over time. Sponges are easy to rinse, other ceramic/gravel type media is not. Over time it will clog, some faster and more than others.

Bio media is effective the more surface area that is available- this is why porus materials work best. Fine mech waste will build up and reduce the surface area. That is why in most media eventually needs to be replaced over time.

I would think that in the extreme case of it becoming no longer able to house bacteria, a good bath in boiling water ought to get it back up to condition.