My filter is clogged, replace it?

[Whale]

Hello,

I have an AquaOne Ecostyle 61 tank with a trickle filter.
I'm in the middle of a fishless cycle and the filter pad is clogged with brown stuff. The water won't flow through it, but it just flows over it.
Basically the water isn't being filtered, it's just skimming the top of the filter media.

Should I replace the filter? I understand I could lose my bacteria colony by doing that.

Any help is appreciated, thanks.

 

[ImACoolguy]

Just wash it in some tank water or dechlorinated tap. No harm done to the cycle.


Caleb

 

[Whale]

Just wash it in some tank water or dechlorinated tap. No harm done to the cycle.
Caleb

Hey thanks for the quick response Caleb.

I tried rinsing with the tank water, but the really really super fine silt is all stuck in the wool pad.

 

[HooKooDooKu]

Can you place a new wool pad on top of the old one? Basically try to replace the clogged pad with a new one, but give the colony on the old pad a chance to begin growing on the new one first.

 

[Whale]

Can you place a new wool pad on top of the old one? Basically try to replace the clogged pad with a new one, but give the colony on the old pad a chance to begin growing on the new one first.

Unfortunately its not one of those removable ones. But I understand what you mean. There's two filter pad areas, I think I'll leave one and replace one.