steveangela1

Do we need to replace the white filters and substrate or would it be better to use dirty tank water to just clean the filter media good and then clean the mechanical part of the filter?
I am guessing I am wanting to keep as much of the old media as possible for the bacteria?

Rbacchiega

yes and no.

You can rinse the white filter floss, but I usually just end up tossing them. Since I bag my own carbon, I'll add two bags and then loop the zip tie on one of them, when it comes time to service the tank, I take out and toss the looped one, loop the ziptie that wasn't before, and add a new one (hope that made sense). Same thing goes with the bags of ceramic rings. I've read that some people will take out the rings, bleach them and then rinse them etc and throw them back in their filters, but I shy away from anything involving bleach in my aquarium

what ehiem are you running? I've got the ehiem professional 3 and am inlove with the wave maker lol.

steveangela1

we have an eheim ecco 2232, it has the substrat pro and the round white filter and green round filter... no carbon

Tavel

Just lightly swish the substrate pro in tank water, You don't ever need/want to "clean" that stuff. Just get the loose debris out. It holds most of your bacteria, so don't mess with it too much.

The sponge pad (the green one), you can wash in the sink. Get it really clean and just put it back in.

The floss pad (white), you can try cleaning it, but It'll probably just fall apart. lol. Get some cheap filter floss and replace it.

I like to stack it in this order, from bottom to top:
1. sponge pad on the bottom
2. floss pad
3. Substrate
4. Another floss pad on top (to hold it all together.)

you don't need carbon, so don't worry about getting some.

Rbacchiega

^agreed, but if you already have it, good LOL.

My pro is stocked as such, bottom to top:
1. Green sponge pad
2. ceramic rings
3. Carbon
4. Filter Floss

I rinse the whie sponge on the wave thinger every time I service the tank as well.