What do you all do

[copycat]

When changing/cleaning your filter media in your external filter (Ie: ehiem 2xxx or some other brand), or in your sump tanks, do you all

1) Remove everything, wash before putting everything back
2) Dump everything and replace new ones
3) Dump only sponge, wash the bio balls
4) Clean only the sponge and left the rest untouch

Asking for your opinions, coz i read it that, if we clean everything, which i'm currently doing, I would have get rid off all the useful microbatericas in the media and therefore, defeat the purpose of having an external filter or sump.

[ranmasatome]

option 4 for me...

[michael lai]

Hi Copycat,
Yes if you wash everything with new water, you destroy all beneficial bacterial. Basically, when I change water I use that 25% of water to wash my filter materials. That way I save the most precious 'bacterial' that helps us maintain the water parameters. Chlorine will kill the bacteria.

[kelstorm]

i pull out some of the used wool and 'seed' the new wool
. the bacteria will recover quickly...and while it is recovering, there are sufficient bacteria within the waters and LR to sustain the tank

[copycat]

so basically all of u only wash the wool, and leave the rest untouch?

[kelstorm]

yah.. if the wool is too dirty, will discard the put in new ones.. but must seed it first..

[copycat]

yah.. if the wool is too dirty, will discard the put in new ones.. but must seed it first..

ok thanks for the advice, next time i will do that, hmm but must prevent the tempetation of cleaning everyup getting into me. I like everything to look clean instead of having the fish shit still trap between the media (Gravel and such)

[Masslawya]

should you clean one part every other week?

[kelstorm]

should you clean one part every other week?

sorry, pls specify clearly.. clean which part every other week?