Cleaning HOB without disturbing biological media?

Hi,

I just want to be prepared when the time comes that I have to clean the filter—I can’t find any info anywhere but how do I clean my AquaOne HOB filter without disturbing the biological media?

The inflow suction tube seems to be struggling sucking water into the HOB box so I’m thinking something is clogged but at the same time I also don’t want to disturb the bacteria!

Should I just leave the biological media alone? And clean the impeller and the mechanical filter?

My tank is finally cycling and I don’t know what to do

Thanks in advance!

 

When you do your WC just take a bucket of old tank water and swish everything around in it and take the plastic impeller cover and impeller out of the motor and clean that out as well then reassemble everything as you had it and your good to go. Always use tank water to clean any filter media never use the tap water.

 

What kallililly said!

 

Thank you so much for prompt replies guys! Lifesavers!!

 

I’m not sure about that, doing a water change and cleaning your media could disturb it too much. I say three days in between each. Just take some tank water out and run it through your media. But be quick

 

I’m not sure about that, doing a water change and cleaning your media could disturb it too much. I say three days in between each. Just take some tank water out and run it through your media. But be quick

As long as the media stays damp, no reason to hurry. It can even be left in tank water while cleaning the rest of the tank. A water change shouldn't affect anything because the beneficial bacteria isn't in the water column but on the gravel, decorations. If you were to clean the gravel and filter at the same time.. then you would have issues.

 

I concur, changing the water has no bearing on the nitrogen cycle.

Smack the AC's foam sponge block around against the side of a bucket and swish it around in the bucket of tank water. Swish the bag of bio-media around in the same bucket of tank water.

That is how I clean my AC's at the same time as my water changes.