Rinsing old filter media

[Anna94]

I was told to rinse out my old filter media inside my tank as that will charge the new media and new filter quickly as water gets filtered with dirty water in the tank and my tank is full of bacteria. Is this true? Should I do it that way or just leave the old media with the new media in the filter for a few weeks?

 

[Potluck]

No not in the tank in the fish water you siphon out of the tank when you do your partial water changes, the media you just swish in the fish water you took out and put it back in the filter, never clean the media in tap water, and you don't need to clean the filter all the time I clean mine maybe once a month sometimes 1 1/2

 

[Fresh2o]

OP - Are you trying "seed" NEW media in a NEW filter? Are you running both filters at the same time? If the filters are similar and media can be partially swapped, then I'd do that. Cartridges can be a challenge (sometimes cutting them up works).
The method you described sounds like it might work assuming that there is enough beneficial bacteria present in the detritus shaken from the filter (and trapped in the new filter). A bit messy though.

 

[Potluck]

What type of media? Porcelain or is it a cartridge filter, if it's porcelain you never change it, i was told once a year you should but others said never so its mixed opinion for me I've never changed mine , if it's porcelain or rock media put it in with your old (separate porch of course) until it gets established, simply dipping it in the tank is not going to do anything except get it wet, if you do change it you rinse it of thoroughly before putting it in the filter, bacteria has to build up on it. If it's cartridge take the mesh sleeve off and stick it behind the new cartridge, what filter do you have, what kind, hob/canister??

 

[plantnoob]

Well, depends on the kind of filtration system you have. If the "old" media is the only biological filtration you have, then you can't get rid of it as you'll start a new cycle. Like the other posts suggest, just swish it in tank water when you do partial changes. If you have other bio media, (bio wheel, beads, spheres etc) that can hold the beneficial bacteria, then you can get rid of the old one (I assume a filter pad is what you're talking about) and replace it with a new one

 

[Potluck]

If it is cartridge you can add bio balls or rock media in the filter itself and not have to worry worry about the cartridge.

 

[Anna94]

I have an AquaClear 50 and the guy that told me to rinse my media in the tank said to rinse the biomax and sponge in the tank to seed the new filter and new media quicker.

 

[Potluck]

You don't do it in side the tank you do it in the fish water you take out, same thing as seeding the media inside the tank with less chance of something getting inside the tank , the sponge is just there to filter debris, the media holds the bacteria

 

[JoeMan]

I have an AquaClear 50 and the guy that told me to rinse my media in the tank said to rinse the biomax and sponge in the tank to seed the new filter and new media quicker.

That guy was wrong. Rinsing the media IN the tank itself would put everything bad that your tank took out over time back in the tank AT ONCE. Ammonia would spike and you would loose all your fish

 

[FlakRiot]

If you rinse your old media do it in a bucket of old tank water during your water change.

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[Swampman]

Sponges hold debris. But they also hold beneficial bacteria. The sponge gets to much bacteria that it clogs the filter. It is a HOB I just use fish water in a bucket. Take some of the bacteria off and put the filter back in action.

 

[STLCroyards]

I use big gallon ziplock bags, filled about halfway with aquarium water. I then rinse the media inside of that bag.

 

[Potluck]

Your not supposed to thoroughly clean the media just a light swish to get the chunks of debris off, and no the sponge is filtration the ceramics are the BB

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