Really like your TV, Aquarium framed bookshelf system. A wall of bright green and moving water really helps dwarf the obnoxiousness that tvs often bring to home-aesthetic arrangements.
Appreciate your video. I came here to clean the #%**! Out of my filters. I loathe the smell. Glad I watched this, and I’ll focus on the smell being a good thing
Your filter should have a wet earthy smell to it. If the odor becomes unpleasant or rotten smelling you may have a problem. But a natural earthy scent is perfectly normal.
I rarely clean my tidal55 HOB filter. It is best to let that beneficial bacteria build up as strong as possible. The only reason you would deep clean it would be if the filter is having a hard time sucking water through or if it is overflowing. And then it is just a quick rinse in a bucket of aquarium water. Also having as much filter media and biomedia in your HOB as it will hold while functioning properly is very important. The more surface area the better for the bacteria growth. Also add some bottled bacteria to the HOB after you clean it to help the bacteria colony as stable as possible, you don’t want your cycle to crash.
This was so helpful!!! I appreciate you taking the time to go through everything. I'm thinking of buying an aquaclear filter for my 5 gallon Betta tank and I had a question about it. It comes with 3 layers of filter media. Sponge, carbon and the biomax pellet things. Do any of those layers need to ever be replaced? Or are they good with just a rinse when it gets dirty? Thank you so much!! Sorry in advance if this is an obvious answer.
Carbon needs to be replaced if you want it to keep doing its thing, though it's not necessary if you are doing your regular maintenance. It does grow good bacteria like the biomax pellets however! I haven't replaced mine in years since I use some medication and plant fertilizers I don't want it to neutralize, and it's just another part of my filter ecosystem now :>
I’m often bottle brushing out my tubes, impellers, filter sieves, etc. so that the flow rate is maxed out. I don’t do it with every filter squeeze session but every other or 3rd breakdown. Major improvement.
Isn't there a ton of bacteria in the gravel and plants in an established aquarium? I toss my Aquaeon replaceable filter pad every two-three weeks and replace with a brand new one. My fish always thrive and live a long time. Those filters are made to be replaced every month. Same routine for over 12 years.
My son left me to take care of his fish tank. He went to basic training in the military. I put a new pad in today but it really made the water dirty. I hope it clears up. I didn't watch this till after I already changed the filter. It's a filter with hard plastic on the side n mesh type filter bag. I didn't unplug it when I switched them. Any tips to clear the water?
I have a 5 gallon tank and I'm using Top Fin Silentstream 10 Power Filter with cartridge. Would I clean the cartridge the same way? You're saying good stuff is stored in the filter, so when do you ever replace the filter? or what would I do to prep for a new filter?
I used to rinse in the sink too, but no more. I don't wanna take the chance of killing too much beneficial bacteria. How come you don't wash in aquarium water just for safe keeping?? More convenient? I know there might be people who might rinse it too much.
I added new clay substrate and all of a sudden my brand new top fin hang on back filter won't work!! I can feel it vibrating but there's absolutely no suction or outflow
Nonsense. I dispose of my charcoal filter pad in my Aquaeon filter every two weeks and have never had a problem in over 12 years. There is plenty of good bacteria on the gravel and plants in an established aquarium. Never had a fish die for any reason except for old age.
@@snowschnee7121 You can also tuck a piece of sponge in front of the replacement filter pad and only quick rinse that sponge every 3-6 months (depending how much gunk builds up) if you are concerned about losing beneficial bacteria when you toss your filter. The bacteria will reside inside that sponge so rinsing the outside the sponge quickly and squeezing off grime from exterior surface will be fine. Never clean that added sponge filter on the same day as filter change. Same with vacuuming gravel. Space everything out and you should be fine. GL
@@Ptrocles I just dunk it into the water then squeeze it really good. That’s really it. I don’t repeat it , just once. Last time I rinsed it under the water faucet and I loss bacteria causing a bacteria bloom .
FALSE! The cycle is not only performed by the filter the cycle is provided by the whole aquarium surface, like the substrate, glass, plants... The substrate perform much more biological filtration than any hang on back filter! The most important function this filter have is to circulate the water!
I agree with your statement, however I notice when I vigorously squeeze out my filter pad, EVEN in aquarium water, a significant cloudiness appears later in the tank that I only water changed out 1/4. Seems like I upset the balance, possibly by “eliminating too much bacterium”?? I think I need to squeeze out the filters just a bit less. Open to anyone’s feedback here.
@@bdmennecloudy water generally means a bacterial bloom which is when there is not enough beneficial bacteria to cope with the amount of fish waste and ammonia and the bacteria multiplies causing cloudiness if this happens i recommend doing 50 percent or less water changes and possibly adding bottled live bacteria from fritz or api
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Really like your TV, Aquarium framed bookshelf system. A wall of bright green and moving water really helps dwarf the obnoxiousness that tvs often bring to home-aesthetic arrangements.
i use the same water that im draining from my tank to rinse it! it works just fine!
and easier too... lol, instead of dripping tank water all over 😅
me too. i was told tap water would kill all the bacteria in the sponge.
@cyborgbadger1015 if you have city water then the chlorine will kill all the bacteria on the filter pad well water is fine
drippings? he's in a shop! and his fish are healthy. trolls.
Wow! Your place is amazing.. so many tanks👀
Appreciate your video. I came here to clean the #%**! Out of my filters. I loathe the smell. Glad I watched this, and I’ll focus on the smell being a good thing
Your filter should have a wet earthy smell to it. If the odor becomes unpleasant or rotten smelling you may have a problem. But a natural earthy scent is perfectly normal.
Another reason to rinse in a pail . The gunk on the pads is good plant food . 😊
I rarely clean my tidal55 HOB filter. It is best to let that beneficial bacteria build up as strong as possible. The only reason you would deep clean it would be if the filter is having a hard time sucking water through or if it is overflowing. And then it is just a quick rinse in a bucket of aquarium water. Also having as much filter media and biomedia in your HOB as it will hold while functioning properly is very important. The more surface area the better for the bacteria growth. Also add some bottled bacteria to the HOB after you clean it to help the bacteria colony as stable as possible, you don’t want your cycle to crash.
Helpful video. Thanks Chris!
At what point do you need to replace the filter? I have the white carbon cartridge ones.
😂😂 Oop you got me before I could troll. 😂😂 Another great video, keep it up. 👍
This was so helpful!!! I appreciate you taking the time to go through everything. I'm thinking of buying an aquaclear filter for my 5 gallon Betta tank and I had a question about it. It comes with 3 layers of filter media. Sponge, carbon and the biomax pellet things. Do any of those layers need to ever be replaced? Or are they good with just a rinse when it gets dirty? Thank you so much!! Sorry in advance if this is an obvious answer.
Carbon needs to be replaced if you want it to keep doing its thing, though it's not necessary if you are doing your regular maintenance. It does grow good bacteria like the biomax pellets however! I haven't replaced mine in years since I use some medication and plant fertilizers I don't want it to neutralize, and it's just another part of my filter ecosystem now :>
@@intrstellas awesome thanks for the comment! Appreciate it :)
So when cleaning your filter out, only clean the sponge? Would you not look down into the filter to check for clumps of debris that could be clogging?
I’m often bottle brushing out my tubes, impellers, filter sieves, etc. so that the flow rate is maxed out. I don’t do it with every filter squeeze session but every other or 3rd breakdown. Major improvement.
Isn't there a ton of bacteria in the gravel and plants in an established aquarium?
I toss my Aquaeon replaceable filter pad every two-three weeks and replace with a brand new one.
My fish always thrive and live a long time.
Those filters are made to be replaced every month.
Same routine for over 12 years.
why replace them? just rinse and stick them back in.
My son left me to take care of his fish tank. He went to basic training in the military. I put a new pad in today but it really made the water dirty. I hope it clears up. I didn't watch this till after I already changed the filter. It's a filter with hard plastic on the side n mesh type filter bag. I didn't unplug it when I switched them. Any tips to clear the water?
Thanks for your help
Poor fella puffer fish that man has been waiting for his food
Very helpful! I’m new and have a HOB filter as well as a canister oase filter on my larger tank. Do you have a video on that one?
what do you think of filter floss? can i use that all by itself?
So helpful thanks!!
Redundancy is king. Never know when that back up bacteria will come in handy. I just use quilt batting as my fine pad.
My friend does that as well
I have a 5 gallon tank and I'm using Top Fin Silentstream 10 Power Filter with cartridge. Would I clean the cartridge the same way? You're saying good stuff is stored in the filter, so when do you ever replace the filter? or what would I do to prep for a new filter?
any updates i have a 5 gallon as well and dont know if i should rise the filter pad thats on the inside
@@mahalasincere I been using water from the faucet and haven't had any problems.
I did not watch this video to learn how to clean my filter... I just watch everything and anything fish related🤣
Same haha cleaned my filter more times than i could possibly count but if its an auqarium vid ill watch it!
How do you clean the intake? That is my question
I have a white filter pad with rocks and hard plastic, but I also have the black pad, I'm really confused
off topic question . where did you get those frames for your glasses ?
Where do I get those pads? I have the same tank? Thank you Tami
Thank you
Thanks for the tip.
I used to rinse in the sink too, but no more. I don't wanna take the chance of killing too much beneficial bacteria. How come you don't wash in aquarium water just for safe keeping?? More convenient? I know there might be people who might rinse it too much.
when should i replace the sponges? not just cleaning?
thank you !
Thank you
Not sure i got a phd on cleaning a filter - but i did get a masters in unplugging it…
HOLY SHIT beautiful room
Nice clean up God bless
How stop it from flowing up ,the pad is on the bottom
Wouldnt it be better to rinse the sponge in tank water....
You didn't feed the puffer.
I wanted to see that, too. 😕
I added new clay substrate and all of a sudden my brand new top fin hang on back filter won't work!! I can feel it vibrating but there's absolutely no suction or outflow
the clay's blocking it.
What do I do if I already threw out the filter cartridge like.. a week ago? I ruined my cycle so now what? :(
add more beneficial bacteria with API quickstart or Seachem Stability
Nonsense.
I dispose of my charcoal filter pad in my Aquaeon filter every two weeks and have never had a problem in over 12 years.
There is plenty of good bacteria on the gravel and plants in an established aquarium.
Never had a fish die for any reason except for old age.
@@neilmartin99 thanks!
@@snowschnee7121 You can also tuck a piece of sponge in front of the replacement filter pad and only quick rinse that sponge every 3-6 months (depending how much gunk builds up) if you are concerned about losing beneficial bacteria when you toss your filter.
The bacteria will reside inside that sponge so rinsing the outside the sponge quickly and squeezing off grime from exterior surface will be fine.
Never clean that added sponge filter on the same day as filter change.
Same with vacuuming gravel.
Space everything out and you should be fine.
GL
My filter has always overfload
I prefer to clean in tank water bc then I use that water to water plants
How do you propel the tank water to clean the filter?
@@Ptrocles I just dunk it into the water then squeeze it really good. That’s really it. I don’t repeat it , just once. Last time I rinsed it under the water faucet and I loss bacteria causing a bacteria bloom .
Nasty washing in the kitchen sink
Oh forgot to say it's the first tank
FALSE! The cycle is not only performed by the filter the cycle is provided by the whole aquarium surface, like the substrate, glass, plants... The substrate perform much more biological filtration than any hang on back filter! The most important function this filter have is to circulate the water!
I agree with your statement, however I notice when I vigorously squeeze out my filter pad, EVEN in aquarium water, a significant cloudiness appears later in the tank that I only water changed out 1/4. Seems like I upset the balance, possibly by “eliminating too much bacterium”?? I think I need to squeeze out the filters just a bit less. Open to anyone’s feedback here.
@@bdmennecloudy water generally means a bacterial bloom which is when there is not enough beneficial bacteria to cope with the amount of fish waste and ammonia and the bacteria multiplies causing cloudiness if this happens i recommend doing 50 percent or less water changes and possibly adding bottled live bacteria from fritz or api
I think it's still safer to rinse in tank water as not everyone's water is the same