should you spray out spunge mechanical filter?

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Discuss all topics related to freshwater and planted tanks.


jweb1369
 
Posts: 547
Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2008 2:55 am

should you spray out spunge mechanical filter?

by jweb1369

is that wise to clean it? or unwise due to loss of bacteria?


gumbii
 
Posts: 1695
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2007 3:31 am

by gumbii

wat...???



um... as long as you don't let chlorinated water hit it you aight...


a1k8t31524
 
Posts: 939
Joined: Sat May 26, 2007 5:10 am

by a1k8t31524

squeeze it out in a bucket of tank water.


jweb1369
 
Posts: 547
Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2008 2:55 am

by jweb1369

k thanks, i hope i didn't mess things up too bad, i sprayed out one of my sponge filters with tap water. good thing i have two filters and it is my smaller one.


yasherkoach
 
Posts: 1306
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2008 1:24 pm

by yasherkoach

I have 2 filters, this is what I do.

First, always use your tank water to rinse the filter. Every two weeks or as needed, I take filter from the filter system (right one), rinse it gently (wise to not keep the filter out for over 1 hour or else the good bacteria will die), then place it back in the filter box. Then the next two weeks or as needed, I take the other filter out (left side), rinse gently and put it back in the filter box.

The key to cleaning the filter box is, you want to keep just the right amount of good bacteria on the filter in order to let the water pass through it also to clean the water in the tank. The moment your filter becomes clogged so that the filter is no longer cleaning the water, then it is time to rinse (this is the reason I say, as needed, but on average, it is every two weeks). Every 90 days or so, it is good to entirely replace the filter with a new filter. In your case, it is good you have two filters, this way, you take one filter out to replace it entirely, leave the other one in the filter box for about 1 month, then replace that filter (which gives the other filter time to get good bacteria on it).

I have a bio-wheel type filter. The bio-wheels I never ever replace or rinse. The only time I would rinse eithe rone is if the wheel itself will not turn (so far this has not happened). The good bacteria stays on the bio-wheel forever unless it is rinsed off or replaced.

You must remember, good bacteria on a cycled or established tank is everywhere, it's in the gravel bed (this is the reason you should never vacuum too deep or else you siphon out all the good bacteria), and it's all over the ornaments.

If the tank is cycled, 9 out of 10 times, you should never have to worry you won't won't have any good bacteria.

Fish are the most important living organism in the tank; second, is the good bacteria, third, are any live plants; and fourth, invertebrates. Believe it or not, without good bacteria, all the other living organisms die. So you need to nurture good bacteria too. Amazing but true.

A little tap water won't hurt, though you may have killed off some good bacteria. Like you said, you have the other filter, so this is good.

hope this helps


Peterkarig3210
 
Posts: 1980
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 3:04 am

by Peterkarig3210

I have multiple filters that I clean at different times so I don't worry about using tap water. I never have problems with water quality.


yasherkoach
 
Posts: 1306
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2008 1:24 pm

by yasherkoach

Peter, the reason you probably don't have any problem is because you have good bacteruia and abundance of it. I read somewhere that some people do not use even dechlorinator in their tanks because the water quality is so good and the bacteria is so plentiful thatthere is no need for any chemicals.

I prefer to use dechlorinator just to make sure. Th eonly 2 chemicals I use in the tank are dechlorinator and Flourish Tablets (for the live plants, every 3-4 months, I put one tablet deep into the gravel).

I frown upon chemicals. I hope someday I can eliminate the Flourish tablets, and strictly rely on the fish waste. Time will tell.

But because of the water quality from our spigot, I will probably always use dechlorinator.

And Peter, you are wise to have multiple filters. Some fishkeepers don't get this. A rule of thumb is, there can never be enough filter systems in one tank. More the better.


Peterkarig3210
 
Posts: 1980
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 3:04 am

by Peterkarig3210

For my 100 gallon I have 2 large canister filters rated to filter 100, and 175 gallons respectively, and then I have deep gravel and 2 huge powerheads sucking water through an undergravel filter. I also have live plants. I'd say I have at least 5 times the necessary biological filtration in this one.

My 35 gallon has a Rena Filstar canister rated to filter 175 gallons and there is a sponge filter on the intake so the main filter is kept more free from particulate waste. Then I have a powerhead with another sponge filter further increacing the biological avaliable surface area, and there are lots of plants in this tank too, so there is even more times the nessecary filtration in this one.

I'm basicly lazy and don't care to be cleaning filters all the time. My main issue is to do water changes that dilute the constant concentrating of minerals and acidifying of the water over time that happens when all you are doing is topping off.

If there's chlorine in the water I don't know how you can get around dechlorinator, although I have mosquito fish in my balcony fountain and I don't use it for that.


jweb1369
 
Posts: 547
Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2008 2:55 am

by jweb1369

I want to build a DIY canister filter, I seen a site about one guy's DIY canister filter and it looked soooo simple to make. He said that you should also use a canister that is black or dark because the good bacteria thrives in it. So you aren't supposed to clean deep into the substrate??

Furthermore, today I cleaned out my aunts tank in her classroom and she has extra filters and all kinds of aquarium stuff that she doesn't use. She even had a heater and it wasn't in use (none in the tank I was cleaning). I told her ya know if you hook all that up it will really help the tank, but she insisted not to. She said she hasn't cleaned her tank out in a year. And believe me I could tell. She had a 20 gallon long and it was half full because of the evaporation. I was astonished... She gave me $50 for cleaning and rearranging her aquarium and giving it a nice touch. I will go back with my gravel cleaner because she did not even have one.


jweb1369
 
Posts: 547
Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2008 2:55 am

by jweb1369

Oh I also read that good bacteria is different for FW, BW, and SW. So if you add salt only do it in .001 SG increments... Found that out after I added a shit ton of salt to my other tank when I decided to get a puffer. I really messed up with all that misinformation and actually got the wrong damn puffer. Meant to get one F8 and got one mislabled and found out it is a GSP and grows to 6 3/4". Now i have to buy a 30 gal atleast......... =/

should you spray out spunge mechanical filter?

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