Changing/washing filter media

I was wondering how often I should change/clean the filter media in my tanks.

My 15 gallon is a Juwel aquarium and has a built in filter and heater. The filter media does not clog up easily in this tank, so I just clean them once every 2-3 months. When should I buy new filter media? Or are they OK until they start to fall apart etc.?

I'n my Q tank the filter media gets clogged up quite easily, so I clean them about every 2-3 water changes. (I do water changes once a week). My lfs doesn't sell the replacement sponges. What can I do when I need to buy some?

My 7.5gallon is new, and I don't know when I should change/clean the media. ATM they are looking quite brown. Should I clean them?

Thanks

Gwenz

P.S. - When I clean the media, I clean them in old tank water.

 

Don't change the media until they start falling apart or the water flow is bad and you can't rinse the media anymore. The sponges might have to be custom made by buying some made for another filter and cutting to fit. Dino had a sponge in one of his aqua clear filters for 15 years before he replaced it!

 

Gwenz, the questions and answers in this topic: may help you a lot.

 

Okay thanks. How often should I rinse the media?

Thanks

Gwenz

 

It depends on what kind of media. In my Aqua Clear filter I have a sponge and bio-cubes (also had activated carbon regularly before). I rinse my sponge approximately every 2 weeks so that it doesn't get clogged, but I rinse it gently and in tank water only. As for the bio-cubes I don't have to rinse them at all. They don't really get clogged - their main purpose it to provide surface area for the bacteria.

In my Whisper Tetra filter, I have a small sponge and a bag that holds activated carbon (don't use carbon anymore in this filter either). I also rinse this sponge and the bag approx. every 2 weeks. I keep this bag until it starts to fall apart. But the sponge from the Aqua Clear filter I can keep for many years to come, as long as I rinse it when needed.

 

Thanks Isabella

Gwenz

 

Anytime