Cleaning Filter help

[Laurencallen74]

Hi folks,
I have a 46 gallon bow front aquarium with an Emperor 280 and an additional small filter for a ten-twenty gallon as well. How and how often should I clean the HOB filter parts? I know to rinse my media in aquarium water, but I haven't cleaned the filter yet because I'm scared to mess with the biofilter. Any help would make me very happy as I read on.

I have 2 fancies.

 

[bruinsbro1997]

I just clean them every time I do a PWC. Clean them whenever you want. I would clean them when they are clogged with fish gunk/waste/poop/YUCK!

For the intake, I use pipe cleaners. For the media, I swish it around and squeeze it to get all the nasty off it.

 

[iadubber]

I just dip and squeeze my filter floss in the PWC water every time I do a PWC. Just to get the large particles off.

 

[Laurencallen74]

Thanks! So, when I take the hob off the tank, just rinse with cool cold water and get the gunk off? Won't hurt anything?

 

[bruinsbro1997]

As long as the filter media isn't in there. But even then you can rinse it in tank water.

 

[tommyr]

I clean the filter media in tank water every week during water changes. Once every 5-6 months I do a total breakdown of the filter housing and clean it well while the media sits in tank water.