How often do you clean HOB filters?

[josh7]

I clean mine like rinse the sponges and filter floss every 2 weeks is that to often or is that about right?

 

[JRT83]

I clean mine like rinse the sponges and filter floss every 2 weeks is that to often or is that about right?

I'd say every 2 weeks is too often, but I suppose it depends on how many filters you're running, how heavily stocked, and how big the tank is. I have 1 aquaclear110 and 2 biowheel 350s on my 125 and clean the floss/sponges once a month, only cleaning 1 at a time though. Rarely see nitrates above 10ppm, never above 20.

 

[josh7]

Well in my 75 I am running 2 Marineland emperor 400s on it. It's pretty heavily stocked overstocked but it never sees over 15 ppm nitrates. I have 1 Tiger Oscar, 1 Convict Cichlid, and 1 Featherfin Catfish.

In my 55 I run 2 Marineland 350 penguins. It's pretty stocked to I have 1, Jack Dempsey, 4 Pictus Cats, and 1 Red Tailed Shark.

So would 2 weeks still be to often?

 

[JRT83]

Well in my 75 I am running 2 Marineland emperor 400s on it. It's pretty heavily stocked overstocked but it never sees over 15 ppm nitrates. I have 1 Tiger Oscar, 1 Convict Cichlid, and 1 Featherfin Catfish.

In my 55 I run 2 Marineland 350 penguins. It's pretty stocked to I have 1, Jack Dempsey, 4 Pictus Cats, and 1 Red Tailed Shark.

So would 2 weeks still be to often?

I'd say you've definitely got enough filtration on both tanks, I'd personally clean just 1 filter on each tank every 2 weeks so that you're basically cleaning each filter once a month and not losing too much beneficial bacteria at 1 time. I take my filters off my tanks every 3-4 months also and rinse the whole thing out and clean the impeller, otherwise I notice after water changes that once I plug them back in, old food and waste that's been sitting on the bottom of the filters will get thrown back into the tank. That's just how I do things though, you can always change things up a little and see how your water parameters are affected and then continue doing whatever works best for your tank.

 

[josh7]

Alright I was just thinking hmm I might be doing this to much I will do that though one filter every two weeks.

 

[mikem691]

My 75 has 2 ac 110s and my 55 2 ac 70s I alternate once a month with swishing the bio media and squeezing the sponge in tank water so each filter goes 2 months but my 75 is maxed and the 55 only has a 4" carpintis with some dithers.

 

[josh7]

Yah I think I will clean each filter once a month just because my bioload is maxed out.

 

[mikem691]

I really think this is different for everyone. The way I do it is based off what keeps my nitrates under 20 right before my weekly 50% water changes.

 

[sansouci01]

fresh water is great. I have a HOB on my 20 salt water tank. My live rock is the primary filter but I do change my floss, rinse my sponge and chemi-pure elite bag every three days...On my 55 gallon fresh water tank I have a canister filter that I clean every 2 months and my nitrates are always below 15ppm with a pretty heavy bio load

 

[Samdaman]

What if when you clean it in tank water weekly that is what I've been doin is it wrong

 

[josh7]

If you do it weekly I feel like that's to much you will have no bacteria left. I have been cleaning 1 of them each week so they get cleaned every two weeks.

 

[mikem691]

What if when you clean it in tank water weekly that is what I've been doin is it wrong

As long as you are just swishing the bio media lightly you will be fine. It just removes the old and dead BB and makes room for new BB. Every week is quite often IMO tho.

 

[Masha]

It helps to have a pre-filter on the uptake tube. All the debri, dead plant leaves etc get stuck to that instead of going into the main filter. I clean the prefilter thoroughly once a week when I do my water changes, means much less gunk gets into the main filter.

 

[flitabout]

Depends on the type of filter. My HOBs I do every week when I do water changes. I don't mess with the sponge unless for some reason it gets gunk on it which has only happened to me once. I just shake out the cartridge and toss it back in and I only replace those when they are falling apart.
On my canister I replace the filter floss every 2 weeks. If I do that then I never have to clean the rest of the media all the crud gets taken out with the floss and the bb isn't affected by my cleaning.

 

[BillD]

Firstly, every tank is unique. The minimum required regimen can be determined by testing for nitrates and observing build up. Once every two weeks is not too often. An AC filter will jhave the sponge get clogged more quickly than you might imagine. A "rinse" isn't good enough. they need to be vigorously squeezed to get the solid material out of them. very little comes out in the first couple of squeezes. Squeeze them out in a container of tank water, until stuff stops coming out. This will probably take 4 or 5 changes of water. this can be done every water change easily since you don't even have to turn the filter off to clean it. Squeezing the sponges will not remove any significant amount of beneficial bacteria. The bacteria is rather firmly adhered to the sponge or other media, and does not come off easily. What it will remove is the solid debris and much of the heterotrophic bacteria that is trying to convert the solids to ammonia. End result is lower/slower nitrate buildup. As well, a cleaner filter element ensures a good flow of oxygen rich water to reach the nitrifying bacteria so they can work efficiently.