Cleaning filter/replacing media?

[ciantarah]

I have a 29 gal tank that is about 6 months old with live plants. Whenever I test, there's no ammonia and no nitrites, and the nitrates are under 40 ppm. I do PWC's every 1-2 weeks. However, I have never bought a new filter cartridge for my tank. I washed the cartridge and the filter out a couple times, and after both cleanings some of my fish died, although I did not see correlating spikes in ammonia or nitrites. Now I am understandably leery of cleaning the filter at all.

I opened the filter up today to check and see if my missing vampire shrimp had somehow stowed away in it (she hadn't) and found a bunch of tiny snails inside... and now I am wondering what I should do. I've seen a couple of the little buggers in my tank so far, but otherwise none.

Should I clean it out? Should I get a new filter cartridge? In normal circumstances, should I ever clean the filter?

 

[Alexa1s0nfire]

When you are cleaning the filter how are you cleaning it? If you're not simply rinsing it in aquarium water then you are killing off essential bacteria. Probably the largest supply of it you have in the tank. If in fact your readings still are ok you may be getting a foreign chemical or substance in your tank via the cleaning.

Also, what type of filtration are you using in the tank? You should not replace the filter if it's not tattered and in pieces. It houses most of the beneficial bacteria needed in your tank. If you MUST change it out then simply add new filter media into the filter compartment for a week or two and then remove the old.

 

[bruinsbro1997]

I have a 29 gal tank that is about 6 months old with live plants. Whenever I test, there's no ammonia and no nitrites, and the nitrates are under 40 ppm. I do PWC's every 1-2 weeks. However, I have never bought a new filter cartridge for my tank. I washed the cartridge and the filter out a couple times, and after both cleanings some of my fish died, although I did not see correlating spikes in ammonia or nitrites. Now I am understandably leery of cleaning the filter at all.

I opened the filter up today to check and see if my missing vampire shrimp had somehow stowed away in it (she hadn't) and found a bunch of tiny snails inside... and now I am wondering what I should do. I've seen a couple of the little buggers in my tank so far, but otherwise none.

Should I clean it out? Should I get a new filter cartridge? In normal circumstances, should I ever clean the filter?

My guess is your washing it in tap water, don't do that, just rinse it in tank water to get all the grime and muck out and you'll have a clean cartridge but still have the beneficial bacteria on it.

 

[Alexa1s0nfire]

My guess is your washing it in tank water, don't do that, just rinse it in tank water to get all the grime and muck out and you'll have a clean cartridge but still have the beneficial bacteria on it.

You meant you think they're washing it in tap water right?

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Haha yes my bad, you caught me in one of my rare typos! I'll fix that

 

[ciantarah]

Thanks for the input I did, in fact, rinse in tap water. I'll use tank water for a gentle rinse next time!

Many thanks.