How do I rinse my filter media?

I have a Marineland Bio-Wheel Penguin Aquarium Power Filter, And I try to change or rinse the filter cartridges once a month. I did recently purchased a blue and white filter media for HVAC that I now use in my aquarium. I've read that these are pretty much the same as the cartridges. It seems the same to me, and I've heard people successfully using them, so I assume they're fine.
I would like to rinse the filter media, to increase the water flow, I know it contains good bacteria. So how do I rinse it, and not get rid of the good bacteria?

 

Essentially just swish it around and squeeze it a little bit in old tank water.

 

Essentially just swish it around and squeeze it a little bit in old tank water.

Thanks, and I guess I pour that water back into the tank?

 

No I mean the water you take out during a water change.

 

The good bacteria will remain in the media.

 

Ya what Salem said, just squeeze it and swash it around in tank water

 

Thanks, and I guess I pour that water back into the tank?

Eeeeew! No definitely not. Think about it... Wouldn't that defeat the purpose of cleaning it??? If you just pour it all right back into the tank to go right back into the filter again?

Using a bucket of tank water prevents the chlorine from tap water killing your beneficial bacteria. That's all.

You can also use a bucket of dechlorinated water. But I prefer a bucket of tank water.

 

Siphon some water into a bucket, squeeze the filter media until it doesn't have any more gunk, then set the filter back up.

Dump out the dirty water. It will be nasty and you definitely don't want to put it back in the tank.

 

Lol, thanks, I was clueless with these things. But definitely gained some knowledge now.

 

Some people insist that there's not enough chlorine to hurt the bacteria in the few seconds you'd be rinsing it under the faucet. I don't know.

 

Dump out the dirty water. It will be nasty and you definitely don't want to put it back in the tank.

My tomatoes love it.

 

Some people insist that there's not enough chlorine to hurt the bacteria in the few seconds you'd be rinsing it under the faucet. I don't know.

But why risk it?

 

Using a bucket of tank water prevents the chlorine from tap water killing your beneficial bacteria. That's all.

Learn here on why rinsing your media in tap water will not kill your bacteria.

Rinsing Biomedia In Tap Water

 

Learn here on why rinsing your media in tap water will not kill your bacteria.

Rinsing Biomedia In Tap Water

This is good information but we are in the freshwater beginners section. Most of the folks here have new tanks with new cycles. I actually agree cleaning the media in tap water won't affect the cycle in a fully established tank if it is rinsed quickly but I would never recommend someone with a brand new tank do it.

BTW: I have fully established tanks but still clean my media in water from the tanks. That hasn't always been the case. There have been times where I took my media to the kitchen sink to clean it under running water. But, my tanks were fully established and had been for quite a while.

 

This is good information but we are in the freshwater beginners section. Most of the folks here have new tanks with new cycles. I actually agree cleaning the media in tap water won't affect the cycle in a fully established tank if it is rinsed quickly but I would never recommend someone with a brand new tank do it.

BTW: I have fully established tanks but still clean my media in water from the tanks. That hasn't always been the case. There have been times where I took my media to the kitchen sink to clean it under running water. But, my tanks were fully established and had been for quite a while.

The OP says he tries to rinse and clean his filters once a month. Means he has an established tank. The was intended for the other poster. Nobody really cleans their filter while cycling as they don't get that dirty to warrant it.

 

The OP says he tries to rinse and clean his filters once a month. Means he has an established tank. The was intended for the other poster. Nobody really cleans their filter while cycling as they don't get that dirty to warrant it.

They do if they turn on the filter immediately after adding water and don't give the substrate a chance to settle first. (Please don't ask me how I know this.)

 

The OP says he tries to rinse and clean his filters once a month. Means he has an established tank. The was intended for the other poster. Nobody really cleans their filter while cycling as they don't get that dirty to warrant it.

That really depends on how they are cycling. If fishless I totally agree but if fish in the media can get pretty gross and will need to be cleaned.

I am really not picking on you. Guess I am feeling ornery today so seem to be nit-picking

 

The OP says he tries to rinse and clean his filters once a month. Means he has an established tank. The was intended for the other poster. Nobody really cleans their filter while cycling as they don't get that dirty to warrant it.

That really depends on how they are cycling. If fishless I totally agree but if fish in the media can get pretty gross and will need to be cleaned.

I am really not picking on you. Guess I am feeling ornery today so seem to be nit-picking

most of us newbies don’t learn about a fishless cycle until after we add fish. So yes my filter required cleaning every couple weeks in my new tank.