how often should i clean my external filter?

[sbrown64]

Hello everyone.

I have a 220 litre tank with an Aqua one CF1000 external canister filter. (based on the general rule of thumb) it cycles 100 litres per hour. My usual routine is every Saturday I do a 20% water change while cleaning my sand substrate, but I only clean out the filter once a month.

I notice by week 2-3 their is quite a bit of "stuff" floating around the water. My questions are as follows:-

What do you recommend as an extra internal filter to boost filtration?
Should I clean the filter out more often?
Should I also disconnect the pipes and the spray bars and clean them?

I look forward to all your replies.

Regards

Stephen Brown

 

[Butterfly]

When the water doesn't flow through the filter media easily take it out and rinse the gunk out in used tank water. The reason for used tank water is to preserve your beneficial bacteria. You can do this until the filter media falls apart. Hope that helps.
Crol

 

[sbrown64]

Thank you for your reply. In my external filter, I have one compartment which contains filter sponges, one compartment that contains ceramic media and in the base a load of bio balls.

Should I rinse everything in the old water and empty the base and refill with new water from the tank, or should I leave the base and the bio balls alone?


Regards

Stephen

 

[Butterfly]

I usually rinse it all but not at the same time. Rinse one type then the other then the other.
Carol