THANK YOU! Genuinely, I am about to upgrade to my first canister filter from a HOB, and this video covered exactly the info I needed, while also making me relieved to know I've been doing my HOB exactly the way you described!
What do you think about running 2 filters so you don't have to worry about messing the cycle up? I have a 90g tank with a medium sized canister filter, and a cascade 600. Cascade 600 is a submerged filter with an air intake. 3 Ranchu goldfish, and will probably leave it at that so I don't have to do as much maintenance. Goldfish are swimming dumpsters with how much they mess up water. More like keeping turtles than anything. I like having 2 in this tank because I need to clean them more than most others. I only clean one filter at a time so the cycle doesn't get too wonky. I think doing your water changes is more important than worrying about your filters all the time though. That's just my opinion though. Wish I'd see more Ranchu and fancy goldfish besides koi.
Great video! Yep - basically there isn’t enough contact time for the chlorine or chloramines to do any serious damage to beneficial bacteria in the few seconds the sponge is exposed to the tap water. 😀
@Prime Time Aquatics does the difference in temperature between your tap water and tank water cause any damage serious damage to beneficial bacteria? I follow what you do but try match the temps (by feel) from the tap because I fear killing bacteria, is there cause for concern?
@@donperera8415 Personally I haven't noticed a problem doing that. Now wall that does answer the temperature question in my opinion it does anyway. As far as the other part goes I can't be so sure, as my city seems to purify the water with ammonia and then about once a month shock the system with chlorine. When I smell the chlorine in the water I don't add it to the tanks even if they need water I wait for the smell of chlorine to go away and then add it. My nose seems to be sensitive enough to detect it before it gets to harmful levels.
Years ago when I started this crazy awsome, expesive and immersive hobby, I was told to do a 70% water change every week and clean filter fully 100% clean under hot water...man how things have changed in 30 years. Been in the hobby for a long time and still loving it every day.
I just started last year. I was real high on myself cause I always had crystal clear filters etc.. we learn from our mistakes. Who’d ever think it’s better not to clean. I still never had dirty filters like in this video. Maybe still doing too often. As someone who has gotten past a speedy lifestyle and slowed down I find this fish life extremely awesome! Wish I started long time ago. Probably might have gotten me out of some trouble😊
I stopped keeping fish some time ago cus I was overwhelmed by all the work they needed, you guys made me realise I wasn't just doing too much work but I was removing all the bacteria every month, now Im getting back to aquariums in the form of a 2.5 galoon shrimp tank
What a great video! I'm glad you've come out with this for those who are new to fish keeping. I'm running a Fluval canister filter on one of my tanks and its been on the tank for about a year now, and I havent touched it in about 3 months now - my water is still crystal clear and just goes to show that you don't need to clean them out as often as you think or the manufacturers say. Once I start noticing the water running slower from the outtake, that's when I give it a clean 😊
I set up a beautiful tank for my mother. She didn't clean the filter for almost a year, and said that the green water was 'natural'. 2 out of the 12 fish died. And no she didn't even do water changes. Lesson learnt: not everyone is meant for this beautiful hobby. They are either too lazy or don't know how. The good news is that she is learning and even spent good money on new filters.
Love your comment at 2:39, sad, but so true...Great vid John...I have 2 Seachem Tidal 110s on both my 100g acrylic tanks, clean filters / media ( with tank water ) every couple of months. The 2 filters on each tank are turning 900 gals an hour (21,600 gals in a 24 hour period) in my moderately stocked all male cichlid tanks. My tanks are crystal clear all the time...Canister filters, had them, done with them...Thanks John & Lisa, keep the vids coming...
Thanks for the video. I love how you tell people your choices and why. I also like that you offer people other ideas/options on ways of doing things all the while you reiterate; Do what works best for you!😊
Sunday funday!!! Like you and Lisa clean out your tanks on Sundays, I've decided to do the same... Once Schools starts back up in a few weeks, no time during the week!!! But PERFECT on Sundays!!! Thanks for the Ziplock bag trick for the sponge filters!!! Totally rocked that one!!! Love you guys!!!
Good video/info. I tend to be on the cleaning too much side, but after watching a few more videos on this issue, I’m learning to let some debris. Swapped out my replaceable cartridges with coarse sponges from Aquarium Coop.
I currently have a 17l tank with 2x small orandas. Yes, I know it’s not the right size tank at the moment, but I have a 200l on back order at the moment; so essentially my lovely boys are in quarantine at the moment. This was a starter kit tank, with a tiny little ciano filter, which has a sponge and a wee cartridge thingy; however as the tank is quite small I do a 20-25% every few days, to keep ammonia levels diluted and to make sure my fish aren’t stressed/unhappy. The tank had been cycled without fish for about 3 months, adding a pinch of flakes every cupl weeks, so as to allow the bacteria to have something to nitrify. I typically clean the sponge and cartridge in rotation, but only as and when the filter is struggling to move the water, as it is pretty tiny; I’ve taken this method from your advice on previous videos and it has stayed with me 😊. X
I trust Jason over most of the fish keeping community, I keep my fish keeping advice to just a few channels. When it comes to the major stuff I look for my three favorites for advice. KG, Prime Time or, Aquarium coop.. I go to a couple other channels for plants and scaping but when it comes to the health of my fish, you guys keep me straight.
This is awesome info thank you sir 😊 I have a 20 gallon starter kit water looks awesome I clean filter once a month if. This was extremely helpful. I'm a beginner fish keeper. Fish doing great 👍 thanks
Thanks for the informative video again. I usually prefer to squeeze the sponge filter out into 3 small buckets of tank water to avoid using the tap. By the time its squeezed into the 3rd it is clean, with no chlorine trying to mess with my bacteria.
Great video like always, we clean out our hob and sponge filter once a week during our water changes. Will try using tap water to clean out the sponges, thanks
This is going to be kinda rambly but first I wanted to say that I just got into the hobby. We had a couple tanks when I was a kid but now that I'm 23 and have been on my own for a while I needed a new interest. I stumbled on your videos and you have helped me understand so much about what it means to have a tank! I wanted to share a story with you from my adventures I thought you'd appreciate! I currently have a 55 gal community tank w/a Betta and part of those other fish in the community where a handful of ghost catfish. Unfortunately I had some cheap plastic decorations and even after cleaning them before putting them in, the chemicals leached into the water after a while and killed a large portion of the tank, 3 out of the 4 ghosts included. I've done tons of work since then to keep the rest alive and fix my tank's situation. Today I added a dozen black neon tetras and some Cories to the community, and after about 2 hours, the catfish decided it wanted to school with the tetras after losing it's school, and they've accepted him instantly! He literally swims close knit with the rest of the school and even starts to behave as if he's one of the tetras! It's one of the coolest things I've ever watched happen right in front of me, and I felt the need to share it here!
Omg that’s so cute! My black tetra actually schooled with my 2 plecos too, while all along there was already a school of blue tetra school in my community tank. It’s so funny! Lol
I got an Aqeon HOB filter on my 10 gal tank. This with a pre filter on the intake I clean the intake pre filter frequently. However, no matter how dirty the main filter cartridge gets, I only replace it when it get so dirty that water can barely get through it any more.
I have used the seachem tidal 55 after issues with the Marineland . I love this filter. I do with there was more room for media, but it all works great. Best feature is no priming. I had a pump that wrote out and they sent me a new one.
Thanks for the advice. I love my canister filter. I do clean it once a month. Within a or two water changes in between as you said depending on the needs of the aquarium.
Another great video! You can never give too many cleaning tips! It’s great to hear how everybody does things a little differently…And cool shoutout to Jason at Prime Time Aquatics! Thanks again! :)
Respected John and Lisa, Thanks for sharing all useful stuff. You guys are amazing! I have a question, "How can I get rid from the air pump?". I don't like the continuous humming sound of air pumps. Is there any way I can successfully keep my aquariums without air pumps? I am from Lahore, Pakistan. Here, air pump driven under-gravel filters are still very popular and I am also fan of them (except the air pump humming). Power filters and power heads are also available here at cheap rates. Can I compensate the air pump (currently driving 2 points of UG tray filter in 6ft/60gallon Mbuna tank) with a 1500L/h power head and/or a wave maker? A 880L/h internal filter is also installed in this tank and both filters work 24/7. Please guide.
I read the title and I thought we were talking about the exterior of the aquarium. I have been grossed out by the buildup I have seen on aquarium lids, hosing pipes and lights. It just looks to me that someone never ran cloth, razor, or toothbrush over anything...like ever 😲
Thank you!very helpful vidio. I personally haven't clean the filter for 8 months but I do water charge every month and clean the tank .My 30 little fishes are very happy 😀
I just finished changing out the polishing pads and added more small lava rock for the beneficial bacteria to both of my canisters. I’ve learned that my FX6 needs the polishing pad replaced monthly and my 704b usually goes about 2 months before I change out the polishing pad. Like John said when U see dendritic floating around that’s when it’s time to clean.
Wow just finished cleaning my FX4 cannisters & saw this video .I go about 4 months between cleaning sponges + also have a marineland 400 on my 75 gal. which I clean about once a month
I was advised by my LFS to only clean filters in tank water that had been removed during partial water changes, as I was previously cleaning sponges in tap water, which was then causing water spikes. Since changing over to the tank water only method I've experieced considerably fewer problems regarding fish health and loss. Each to their own......but having tried both methods I know which works best for me.
I've always done it this way also and never had issues, but I can see the point in where rising the sponges in tap water while not touching the media at the same time won't be an issue either. It's not like the entirety of the beneficial bacteria is in the sponges.
As i clean the canister and sponge filters when doing a water change i will still use a bucket to clean my filters and the poopy water goes on to plants to act as a fertilizer.
Mann...I clean my filter out every Saturday morning I do water changes when I see debris, which is once a week,I might lose one fish,but I got this it used to bother me,but now I got a better perspective about it,thanx to you John..🤗🤗🤗💯
When it comes time to clean the filter, the glass (outside), hood and underneath the glass top get cleaned as well, maybe a scrape on the algae if the little guys have gotten slack about it. All of this during a water change, so I don't have to disturb as much. I'll usually do a small gravel vac too, if needed. Dirty water goes in the plants.
Thanks for the info! Have you done any videos on what to do if you tap water has higher nitrates? I live in UK, and often nitrates in tap are over 20ppm, they have been up to 40ppm. So doing water changes doesn't massively help with nitrate removal. I'm toying with the idea of collecting rain water (abundant n the UK...lol) is this good or bad? I can't see anything on it, but it sounds like the most natural way?
Great video, I’m a little confused, I was always told to rinse my filter pads even if your replacing them to do it in aquarium water for two reasons, one being the chlorine and the other being the good bacteria being washed off then causing a mini cycle to happen, is this not an issue, also I only rinse the whole unit when it gets really mucky for the same reason, the one new thing you showed is keeping the two cats next to the canister, that’s a new one for me and my cats just walk through to the back of the tank not sure if I’m getting the extra filtration benefit that way
Well done John love your sunday clips when you explain fish keeping topics . we your menbers love your shows. WELL DONE AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK YOU AND LISA ARE THE BEST...🙂👍 WE ALL THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HONEST ADVICE YOU GIVE US. THANK YOU...
UGF with Malaysian Trumpet snails and lots of plants, been running for years - haven't had to break it down to clean yet - just gravel vac when suspended particulates are noticeable in the water column 💕👍
Hi, great vids, awesome advise! How long would you wait to clean a second FX6 filter after cleaning the first filter? I have a 225 with five Oscars and a Pleco and was wondering how long I should wait to clean the second FX6 filter to give time for the first to build good bacteria. Keep the vids coming! Thank you. Mike
The OASE canister filters come with a pre filter, that you just unlock and remove, it's vertical column shape, and you don't even have to move the cannister itself. I've found that you can leave the cannister untouched for maybe over a year, depending on the amount and size of fish, just by cleaning the pre filter. Check it up if you haven't already ;)
I have well water, so no chlorine chloramine fluoride etc. Rinsing filters still sucks bc sludge always pours into the tank when I put it back in. Always nasty
how often do yall change out filter cartridges? the box says to change it every 2 weeks or so but ive seen people say they only change it when the cartridge is torn. what works best ?
I am hoping you can help me. I can't find any info on mysterious white, almost sand gradual sized speckles sticking (or growing) on the interior of my canister filter. I have never seen anything like this before. And I did just add some new, almost pumice type, multi shaped filter media. I did rinse it well and soaked it in fish water first. I wish i could attach a pic here so you could see what I'm trying to explain. If you have any insight could you educate me? Thanks for your time.
I might be dating myself here, but when I started out in the hobby as a teenager, I started out with a 10 gallon tank kit. I actually won it in a contest. It came with the tank, a canopy, gravel, and a filter; the filter was a diaphragm air pump that pushed air through an air hose that then pushed that air into a little box filled with various layers of filter media that went inside the tank. The movement of the (slightly) forced air also caused some water to flow through the filter media. Apparently this was the most common filter type in the hobby for most of the 20th century! I never questioned it back then, it's just what there was. But of course looking back it's amazing to me how inefficient that was. My second tank setup was a couple years after that with a 20 gallon with a foam filter and under-gravel aeration though. We didn't have internet, so I learned what I could by reading library books. Most of which were old even when I got my hands on them. Such as a guide to keeping goldfish that assumed you were keeping them in a fish bowl and recommended daily water changes. It's pretty remarkable to me how much the science and technology of home aquarium keeping has advanced since those days.
Tap water has *maybe* 1 mg/L of chlorine in it; it's just enough to curtail microbial growth in clean tap water. Rinsing a filter with a relatively large amount of organic matter is trivial; the trace of chlorine doesn't keep killing and killing and killing. Cleaning in a bucket of tap water is fine. I would recommend, however, that cleaning a sponge to the point where no organic matter is coming out is overkill. It's that gunky organic matter that's doing the heavy lifting in your aquarium. Rinse lightly- squeeze once or twice in a bucket of water, to retain a good population of the desirable bacteria.
So I have been replace half of my hob filter every 4-5 weeks. I just did 1 of them 2 weeks ago and now I can't have the flow slow enough for it not to overflow and come back out over the intake. Should I replace them sooner or rinse them out? I also have 2 sponge filters going in a 60 gallon high tank.
Believe me I am the KING of putting off doing vacs / water changes in my tanks but it gets to the point where I really have to cause all my HOB filter cartridges get that thick smell brown coat of slime on them covering the entire pad so the water just isn't flowing through them much anymore. I have to clean mine out every 2 - 4 weeks depending on how much sludge has built up. More like 3 - 4 weeks except a rare occasion when I fed too much on any given week. But yeah I have well water in my house so no chlorine in it so I can blast all that slime away with the shower nozzle making it look like new again. As for breaking the cycle I just add Seachem Stability to the clean freshwater I put back into the tank that is made to prevent New Tank Syndrome and get the tank cycled. Have been doing this for years and never lost a fish from doing it this way.
I have hang on the back filters and have the slide in filters. Is it possible to put a sponge filter in the open space to collect more dabree,so I don't have to replace the slide in filters as often?
Thank you!! I am having an issue with my AquaClear. The basket keeps rising up and popping off the lid. I have a sponge, a thin water polishing pad, and bio filter on top. I thought it needed to be cleaned (I rinsed the sponge as you described and replaced the polishing pad) but the basket popped back up after a week. It causes the water to slowly leak out of the box.
Never had that problem myself, but if it is like my Fluval 30 gallon filter, perhaps the removable basket containing the sponge, ceramic biomedia, charcoal bag(..or whatever you have in the basket) has not been correctly locked inplace. Or is the media within the basket rising within the basket to push the lid up instead of the entire basket, itself rising?
I had the same problem a few times. I managed to avoid it by making sure the notches on the sides clicked onto the nubs. It's somewhat of a pain to do especially when the filter floss gets in the way. Good luck!
Oh goodness, I’ve been very lucky then. I totally clean mine about every other month. When I do, I do not vacuum the rocks or clean the tank deco. From now on I’ll do this. My Raphael cat fish is 10 yrs and I’ve had him 5 yrs now. He seems good and healthy thank goodness 😅
Question. When I got a new tank in the box, I ran hot water on the filter and black water came out!!! Was this like charcoal in the filter I washed away? Or a dirty filter?
I rinse my filters in separate bucket amounts of aquarium water. That way it squeezes clean. I’m wondering if I’m squeezing too vigorously though, b/c I’m getting white cloudiness that last a couple of days.
Hi from Australia. I got a question. My canister filters is on its way out on my african chiclid tank. I have a new one on the way. How do I change them over? Do I need to run my new one at the same time with my old one for a while? Or can I swap it straight out?
I was gifted a 20 gallon tank with a Eclipse hood filter system.. they no longer make filter cartridges for it that I can find. Any suggestions on what I can use for it?
Please advise? I have just purchased a Fumak Submersible Fillter. Not a Flumak for my 2 cool Red Eared Sliders. Anyways, How do I clean this Canister? I can't find the pamphlet, nothing online? I think I should be getting more pressure behind the flow? Also I thought if I take it out of the Water a bit, the nozzle should shoot water but nothing happens when the Canister is still under water? Please advise? I always had Back Drop Filters but was disappointed. This is cleaning their green water awesome. Just seems clogged to me. I have the air hose hanging off the side as should be. I only get a gentle bubble with a 3 inch span of water forcing out?
This one is really an often put aside and neglected, but important topic. Though I wish the community broke out "filtration" more, particularly for new hobbyist's.... We use it as an umbrella term, but it's really not accurate. 1. Mechanical filtration, actually "filters": They need to be cleaned or replaced when it becomes clogs and degrades flow. 2. Chemical filtration, actually "absorbs": needs to be replaced when the media is consumed or depleted (varies according to compound). 3. Biological filtration, actually "converts": very rarely needs to be cleaned, most microbes regulate their populations according to available resources. Plants and algae can be lumped in here too as they adsorb or convert; we remove excess biomass as it becomes degraded or overly dense. Problems arise when one "filter" performs more than one function. Your sponge filter is a good example. Because it is both mechanical and biological, you have to maintenance it according to the function which degrades first. But as you noted, rising it briefly isn't a big issue. It's limited exposure, yes. But the rest of the tank is also colonized with aerobic bacteria regardless, and will act as a reserve until your sponge recolonizes. Care only needs to be taken in newer systems, or ones with little surface area to colonize. And yes, Jason is a fantastic source to reference.
Any advice, I got a aqua one hang on filter which when I take it out to do a clean (which now I know I don’t need to completely clear it) it sometimes stops working and takes a while to go back on, is this a sign I need a new filter. I am also going to upgrade the tank it’s a 28L for 2 goldfish which are growing so I need another one for them. Is it worth buying a new filter or just waiting and maintaining it until I get a new fishtank and filter Also my tank gets like whitish cloudy after 5 days, is that normal or a sign I need to clean it more often
I use aquaclear HOB filters in my two aquariums, I use a python to do my water changes, I have three sponges in each of my HOB filters, when I decide that its time to clean one or more of the sponges I take them to the sink and rinse them under the water that is being drained from the aquarium, your not dipping the sponge into a bucket of nasty water over and over again, instead you are running it under a flow of water that is coming from the aquarium
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 have a a HOB cartridge filter - just to clarify, you just replace the cartridge outright? Do you have to worry about all the beneficial bacteria being thrown out ? (e.g. do you somehow introduce the new cartridge while the old one is still in there so it seeds with bacteria? )
Speaking of cleaning, what are your thoughts on aquarium decorations, like sunken ships, treasure chests, divers, etc. You know, the ones sold at petsmart/petco..how do you properly prepare these decorations? Is rinsing it with water enough? How about action figures? Toys? I thought it would be awesome to put an eastern asia pagoda in the fish tank or maybe a gundam action figure.
I have a 29 gallon tank full of guppies, black mollies, and bristle-nose plecos. I've had the tank since this passed December. Up until a couple days ago, I hadn't touched the filter at all (to allow the bacteria to flourish). A couple days ago, I came home to my tank missing a gallon or two of water... Where did it all go? The floor! The filter cartridge was SO full of brown muck that the water was flowing over it instead of through it! Lesson learnt for me personally, haha!
My question: Some hobbyists say that you don’t need to replace the cartridges in hang on the back filters until they begin to fall apart. Only to swig them around in siphoned tank water or rinse in the tap. Is this true or should you replace once a month like the manufacturer suggests?
i also hose out my cannister sponges...but only rinse the bio media off with tank water...be doing it for 10 years....high pressure gets them much cleaner, its the bio lava rock/noodle etc that houses the bacteria...the sponge do to but their purpose is pre filter so the water is clean when it reaches the bio media.
A couple thoughts while watching your video. 1) Are there any fish that will dirty a tank faster? 2) I have not had live planes, will they dirty the tank faster? Enjoy the video, look forward to hearing your answer.
Not going to make any commercial for a specific manufacturer, but I got a couple of canister filters. I am using intake sponge filters and I clean them every two weeks. Over the years I expanded the cleaning cycle for the canister filter itself and by now I am at three years! YES, THREE YEARS and its still looking ok. As a disclaimer I have to say that I dont have tons of fish in my tanks. Also I have teresstial plants on all my tanks, they really help cleaning the water.
With my cannister filter, I basically let it tell me when it needs cleaning. After several months the flow coming out of the output is a trickle, but once I clean the filter, it goes back to it's normal flow rate.
And this is why ur my #1 go to when I have any questions.. In no way am i a hobbyist but its been almost 4 years now and my fish are very happy my cory's had layed many eggs and i now had to get a much bigger aquarium for all my fish.. So thank you😍
Great video and info john. Was wondering what kind of fish is that with your Oscars in the 2:20 mark? Would love to see more Oscar videos. We just re homed and moved some of our African cichlids around to free up a aquarium for a couple oscars.
Learning all this makes me think of how tough my fishes are to survive everything i was doing wrong... Always used tap water for cleaning and done it thoroughly...
I have a hang on the back back filter. After about two weeks it starts filling up and leaking over the top. Is there something I can do to keep this from happening and not having to replace the filter bi weekly.
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THANK YOU! Genuinely, I am about to upgrade to my first canister filter from a HOB, and this video covered exactly the info I needed, while also making me relieved to know I've been doing my HOB exactly the way you described!
What do you think about running 2 filters so you don't have to worry about messing the cycle up? I have a 90g tank with a medium sized canister filter, and a cascade 600. Cascade 600 is a submerged filter with an air intake. 3 Ranchu goldfish, and will probably leave it at that so I don't have to do as much maintenance. Goldfish are swimming dumpsters with how much they mess up water. More like keeping turtles than anything.
I like having 2 in this tank because I need to clean them more than most others. I only clean one filter at a time so the cycle doesn't get too wonky.
I think doing your water changes is more important than worrying about your filters all the time though. That's just my opinion though. Wish I'd see more Ranchu and fancy goldfish besides koi.
Ok
Why not get 2 or 3 buckets of tank water and clean the sponge?
Easy
Watering plants and gardens with the dirty water is a great recycling technique that conserves water and a great fertilizer. Thanks for the video
Thats exactly what I did with that dirty water 😊
I water my house plants with the dirty water from rinsing out the filters, they grow much better since I started doing it
Great. It's like compost tea. Great for plants
I dump my fish water onto our lawn, since i have pool filter sand as substrate, it shouldn't be going down the sink!
Especially if you're running a planted tank with expensive fertilizer, don't want to flush that...
filters take good care of your tank, so take good care of your filter.
Great video! Yep - basically there isn’t enough contact time for the chlorine or chloramines to do any serious damage to beneficial bacteria in the few seconds the sponge is exposed to the tap water. 😀
@Prime Time Aquatics does the difference in temperature between your tap water and tank water cause any damage serious damage to beneficial bacteria? I follow what you do but try match the temps (by feel) from the tap because I fear killing bacteria, is there cause for concern?
@@donperera8415 Personally I haven't noticed a problem doing that. Now wall that does answer the temperature question in my opinion it does anyway. As far as the other part goes I can't be so sure, as my city seems to purify the water with ammonia and then about once a month shock the system with chlorine. When I smell the chlorine in the water I don't add it to the tanks even if they need water I wait for the smell of chlorine to go away and then add it. My nose seems to be sensitive enough to detect it before it gets to harmful levels.
its nice to see real aquariums as background rather than green screen. lovely content i really appreciate it 😁
Who has green screens?
@@mandypdx previous videos
Years ago when I started this crazy awsome, expesive and immersive hobby, I was told to do a 70% water change every week and clean filter fully 100% clean under hot water...man how things have changed in 30 years.
Been in the hobby for a long time and still loving it every day.
I just started last year. I was real high on myself cause I always had crystal clear filters etc..
we learn from our mistakes. Who’d ever think it’s better not to clean. I still never had dirty filters like in this video. Maybe still doing too often. As someone who has gotten past a speedy lifestyle and slowed down I find this fish life extremely awesome! Wish I started long time ago. Probably might have gotten me out of some trouble😊
I stopped keeping fish some time ago cus I was overwhelmed by all the work they needed, you guys made me realise I wasn't just doing too much work but I was removing all the bacteria every month, now Im getting back to aquariums in the form of a 2.5 galoon shrimp tank
How’s it going now?
@@evonai Now I have 3 tanks one for some guppies and kuhli loaches, one dedicated to shrimp and snail's and one for some mosquito fish
@@Thebeetlemangr awesome!! 🥰
What a great video! I'm glad you've come out with this for those who are new to fish keeping. I'm running a Fluval canister filter on one of my tanks and its been on the tank for about a year now, and I havent touched it in about 3 months now - my water is still crystal clear and just goes to show that you don't need to clean them out as often as you think or the manufacturers say. Once I start noticing the water running slower from the outtake, that's when I give it a clean 😊
It took me a while to figure out my filter could go longer than I expected without being cleaned 😂
I set up a beautiful tank for my mother. She didn't clean the filter for almost a year, and said that the green water was 'natural'. 2 out of the 12 fish died. And no she didn't even do water changes. Lesson learnt: not everyone is meant for this beautiful hobby. They are either too lazy or don't know how. The good news is that she is learning and even spent good money on new filters.
2 out of 12? not bad for not cleaning it for almost a year tbh 😝
LOL I'm Amazed
I thought you wanted to say that your mother is doing it right.
Love your comment at 2:39, sad, but so true...Great vid John...I have 2 Seachem Tidal 110s on both my 100g acrylic tanks, clean filters / media ( with tank water ) every couple of months. The 2 filters on each tank are turning 900 gals an hour (21,600 gals in a 24 hour period) in my moderately stocked all male cichlid tanks. My tanks are crystal clear all the time...Canister filters, had them, done with them...Thanks John & Lisa, keep the vids coming...
Thanks for the video. I love how you tell people your choices and why. I also like that you offer people other ideas/options on ways of doing things all the while you reiterate; Do what works best for you!😊
Sunday funday!!! Like you and Lisa clean out your tanks on Sundays, I've decided to do the same... Once Schools starts back up in a few weeks, no time during the week!!! But PERFECT on Sundays!!! Thanks for the Ziplock bag trick for the sponge filters!!! Totally rocked that one!!! Love you guys!!!
Thank you Eduardo 😊 enjoy the rest of your time off!
Good video/info. I tend to be on the cleaning too much side, but after watching a few more videos on this issue, I’m learning to let some debris. Swapped out my replaceable cartridges with coarse sponges from Aquarium Coop.
I currently have a 17l tank with 2x small orandas. Yes, I know it’s not the right size tank at the moment, but I have a 200l on back order at the moment; so essentially my lovely boys are in quarantine at the moment.
This was a starter kit tank, with a tiny little ciano filter, which has a sponge and a wee cartridge thingy; however as the tank is quite small I do a 20-25% every few days, to keep ammonia levels diluted and to make sure my fish aren’t stressed/unhappy. The tank had been cycled without fish for about 3 months, adding a pinch of flakes every cupl weeks, so as to allow the bacteria to have something to nitrify.
I typically clean the sponge and cartridge in rotation, but only as and when the filter is struggling to move the water, as it is pretty tiny; I’ve taken this method from your advice on previous videos and it has stayed with me 😊. X
I trust Jason over most of the fish keeping community, I keep my fish keeping advice to just a few channels. When it comes to the major stuff I look for my three favorites for advice. KG, Prime Time or, Aquarium coop.. I go to a couple other channels for plants and scaping but when it comes to the health of my fish, you guys keep me straight.
This is awesome info thank you sir 😊 I have a 20 gallon starter kit water looks awesome I clean filter once a month if. This was extremely helpful. I'm a beginner fish keeper. Fish doing great 👍 thanks
Thanks for the informative video again.
I usually prefer to squeeze the sponge filter out into 3 small buckets of tank water to avoid using the tap. By the time its squeezed into the 3rd it is clean, with no chlorine trying to mess with my bacteria.
Great video like always, we clean out our hob and sponge filter once a week during our water changes. Will try using tap water to clean out the sponges, thanks
Clean the sponge during water changes when tank water is draining
This is going to be kinda rambly but first I wanted to say that I just got into the hobby. We had a couple tanks when I was a kid but now that I'm 23 and have been on my own for a while I needed a new interest. I stumbled on your videos and you have helped me understand so much about what it means to have a tank! I wanted to share a story with you from my adventures I thought you'd appreciate! I currently have a 55 gal community tank w/a Betta and part of those other fish in the community where a handful of ghost catfish. Unfortunately I had some cheap plastic decorations and even after cleaning them before putting them in, the chemicals leached into the water after a while and killed a large portion of the tank, 3 out of the 4 ghosts included. I've done tons of work since then to keep the rest alive and fix my tank's situation. Today I added a dozen black neon tetras and some Cories to the community, and after about 2 hours, the catfish decided it wanted to school with the tetras after losing it's school, and they've accepted him instantly! He literally swims close knit with the rest of the school and even starts to behave as if he's one of the tetras! It's one of the coolest things I've ever watched happen right in front of me, and I felt the need to share it here!
Omg that’s so cute! My black tetra actually schooled with my 2 plecos too, while all along there was already a school of blue tetra school in my community tank. It’s so funny! Lol
I got an Aqeon HOB filter on my 10 gal tank. This with a pre filter on the intake
I clean the intake pre filter frequently. However, no matter how dirty the main filter cartridge gets, I only replace it when it get so dirty that water can barely get through it any more.
Super helpful! Thank you so much, this information just saved my cycle
You guys are the best, amazing video as always! I really needed this video, getting a fish in a couple months and had no idea how to clean a filter
I have used the seachem tidal 55 after issues with the Marineland . I love this filter. I do with there was more room for media, but it all works great. Best feature is no priming. I had a pump that wrote out and they sent me a new one.
Thank you! I was worried about if I was under cleaning my hang on the back but feel more comfortable with technique now
This channel leaves no question unanswered and you guys go in depth every time. Thanks for all the resourceful content, works like a charm every time
Thanks for the advice. I love my canister filter. I do clean it once a month. Within a or two water changes in between as you said depending on the needs of the aquarium.
Another great video! You can never give too many cleaning tips! It’s great to hear how everybody does things a little differently…And cool shoutout to Jason at Prime Time Aquatics!
Thanks again! :)
Respected John and Lisa, Thanks for sharing all useful stuff. You guys are amazing!
I have a question, "How can I get rid from the air pump?". I don't like the continuous humming sound of air pumps. Is there any way I can successfully keep my aquariums without air pumps?
I am from Lahore, Pakistan. Here, air pump driven under-gravel filters are still very popular and I am also fan of them (except the air pump humming). Power filters and power heads are also available here at cheap rates. Can I compensate the air pump (currently driving 2 points of UG tray filter in 6ft/60gallon Mbuna tank) with a 1500L/h power head and/or a wave maker? A 880L/h internal filter is also installed in this tank and both filters work 24/7. Please guide.
I read the title and I thought we were talking about the exterior of the aquarium. I have been grossed out by the buildup I have seen on aquarium lids, hosing pipes and lights. It just looks to me that someone never ran cloth, razor, or toothbrush over anything...like ever 😲
Thank you thank you ... got a tank setup and fish with a really dirty canister. Kept the canister dirty for the bio matter it has been a couple weeks.
Thank you!very helpful vidio.
I personally haven't clean the filter for 8 months but I do water charge every month and clean the tank .My 30 little fishes are very happy 😀
What an eye opener !!! Thanks for the mindset change 😌
A deep substrate substantially reduces the need for mechanical filters.
Wow really? Im guessing thats as the flow around the tank guides water through a lose substrate or it just settling? Again im probably wrong haha
I just finished changing out the polishing pads and added more small lava rock for the beneficial bacteria to both of my canisters. I’ve learned that my FX6 needs the polishing pad replaced monthly and my 704b usually goes about 2 months before I change out the polishing pad. Like John said when U see dendritic floating around that’s when it’s time to clean.
Wow just finished cleaning my FX4 cannisters & saw this video .I go about 4 months between cleaning sponges + also have a marineland 400 on my 75 gal. which I clean about once a month
My tank is super balanced and I actually never have to clean my filters. I was gonna say be careful with over cleaning and crashing your tank.
I was advised by my LFS to only clean filters in tank water that had been removed during partial water changes, as I was previously cleaning sponges in tap water, which was then causing water spikes. Since changing over to the tank water only method I've experieced considerably fewer problems regarding fish health and loss.
Each to their own......but having tried both methods I know which works best for me.
I've always done it this way also and never had issues, but I can see the point in where rising the sponges in tap water while not touching the media at the same time won't be an issue either. It's not like the entirety of the beneficial bacteria is in the sponges.
As i clean the canister and sponge filters when doing a water change i will still use a bucket to clean my filters and the poopy water goes on to plants to act as a fertilizer.
I have that same exact 15 tall tank/stand setup. I have mine with glow tetras and danios and blue/black lights. Love it !!!
I’m not new to the hobby but new to your channel, so I’m playing catch-up. Great content thus far!!!
Mann...I clean my filter out every Saturday morning I do water changes when I see debris, which is once a week,I might lose one fish,but I got this it used to bother me,but now I got a better perspective about it,thanx to you John..🤗🤗🤗💯
When it comes time to clean the filter, the glass (outside), hood and underneath the glass top get cleaned as well, maybe a scrape on the algae if the little guys have gotten slack about it. All of this during a water change, so I don't have to disturb as much. I'll usually do a small gravel vac too, if needed. Dirty water goes in the plants.
The clip of the big angel fish, I believe, after you had cleaned the canister filter made me smile. They just seemed to look very happy.
Thanks for the info! Have you done any videos on what to do if you tap water has higher nitrates? I live in UK, and often nitrates in tap are over 20ppm, they have been up to 40ppm. So doing water changes doesn't massively help with nitrate removal. I'm toying with the idea of collecting rain water (abundant n the UK...lol) is this good or bad? I can't see anything on it, but it sounds like the most natural way?
Great video, I’m a little confused, I was always told to rinse my filter pads even if your replacing them to do it in aquarium water for two reasons, one being the chlorine and the other being the good bacteria being washed off then causing a mini cycle to happen, is this not an issue, also I only rinse the whole unit when it gets really mucky for the same reason, the one new thing you showed is keeping the two cats next to the canister, that’s a new one for me and my cats just walk through to the back of the tank not sure if I’m getting the extra filtration benefit that way
Well done John
love your sunday clips when you explain fish keeping topics .
we your menbers love your shows.
WELL DONE AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK
YOU AND LISA ARE THE BEST...🙂👍
WE ALL THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HONEST ADVICE YOU GIVE US.
THANK YOU...
UGF with Malaysian Trumpet snails and lots of plants, been running for years - haven't had to break it down to clean yet - just gravel vac when suspended particulates are noticeable in the water column 💕👍
Hi, great vids, awesome advise! How long would you wait to clean a second FX6 filter after cleaning the first filter? I have a 225 with five Oscars and a Pleco and was wondering how long I should wait to clean the second FX6 filter to give time for the first to build good bacteria. Keep the vids coming! Thank you. Mike
Thanks John for the info. Love your videos
I do the same thing on my sponge filters by running them through the tap. It's much easier and gets the filter cleaner.
The OASE canister filters come with a pre filter, that you just unlock and remove, it's vertical column shape, and you don't even have to move the cannister itself. I've found that you can leave the cannister untouched for maybe over a year, depending on the amount and size of fish, just by cleaning the pre filter. Check it up if you haven't already ;)
I have well water, so no chlorine chloramine fluoride etc. Rinsing filters still sucks bc sludge always pours into the tank when I put it back in. Always nasty
how often do yall change out filter cartridges? the box says to change it every 2 weeks or so but ive seen people say they only change it when the cartridge is torn. what works best ?
I am hoping you can help me. I can't find any info on mysterious white, almost sand gradual sized speckles sticking (or growing) on the interior of my canister filter. I have never seen anything like this before. And I did just add some new, almost pumice type, multi shaped filter media. I did rinse it well and soaked it in fish water first. I wish i could attach a pic here so you could see what I'm trying to explain. If you have any insight could you educate me? Thanks for your time.
I love the analogy if it ain’t broke fix it till it breaks haha. Excellent video
I might be dating myself here, but when I started out in the hobby as a teenager, I started out with a 10 gallon tank kit. I actually won it in a contest. It came with the tank, a canopy, gravel, and a filter; the filter was a diaphragm air pump that pushed air through an air hose that then pushed that air into a little box filled with various layers of filter media that went inside the tank. The movement of the (slightly) forced air also caused some water to flow through the filter media. Apparently this was the most common filter type in the hobby for most of the 20th century! I never questioned it back then, it's just what there was. But of course looking back it's amazing to me how inefficient that was. My second tank setup was a couple years after that with a 20 gallon with a foam filter and under-gravel aeration though.
We didn't have internet, so I learned what I could by reading library books. Most of which were old even when I got my hands on them. Such as a guide to keeping goldfish that assumed you were keeping them in a fish bowl and recommended daily water changes.
It's pretty remarkable to me how much the science and technology of home aquarium keeping has advanced since those days.
Thank you. Awesome info as always. We can never hear this kind of information enough.
Did your husband notice the new bettas 😁 lol
@@rootsnwhiskers8351 He did!! He thinks they are pretty....pretty much taking over his house! He just shakes his head 🤣😂😆
Tap water has *maybe* 1 mg/L of chlorine in it; it's just enough to curtail microbial growth in clean tap water. Rinsing a filter with a relatively large amount of organic matter is trivial; the trace of chlorine doesn't keep killing and killing and killing. Cleaning in a bucket of tap water is fine.
I would recommend, however, that cleaning a sponge to the point where no organic matter is coming out is overkill. It's that gunky organic matter that's doing the heavy lifting in your aquarium. Rinse lightly- squeeze once or twice in a bucket of water, to retain a good population of the desirable bacteria.
Great information, once again!
So I have been replace half of my hob filter every 4-5 weeks. I just did 1 of them 2 weeks ago and now I can't have the flow slow enough for it not to overflow and come back out over the intake. Should I replace them sooner or rinse them out? I also have 2 sponge filters going in a 60 gallon high tank.
Good, helpful video...thanks!
Believe me I am the KING of putting off doing vacs / water changes in my tanks but it gets to the point where I really have to cause all my HOB filter cartridges get that thick smell brown coat of slime on them covering the entire pad so the water just isn't flowing through them much anymore. I have to clean mine out every 2 - 4 weeks depending on how much sludge has built up. More like 3 - 4 weeks except a rare occasion when I fed too much on any given week. But yeah I have well water in my house so no chlorine in it so I can blast all that slime away with the shower nozzle making it look like new again. As for breaking the cycle I just add Seachem Stability to the clean freshwater I put back into the tank that is made to prevent New Tank Syndrome and get the tank cycled. Have been doing this for years and never lost a fish from doing it this way.
I love the fluval G3 and G6. It tells you when to clean it. And how much life is in the carbon, pre, mechanical and biological filtration
This was awesome!! Thanks
I have hang on the back filters and have the slide in filters. Is it possible to put a sponge filter in the open space to collect more dabree,so I don't have to replace the slide in filters as often?
Thank you!!
I am having an issue with my AquaClear. The basket keeps rising up and popping off the lid. I have a sponge, a thin water polishing pad, and bio filter on top. I thought it needed to be cleaned (I rinsed the sponge as you described and replaced the polishing pad) but the basket popped back up after a week. It causes the water to slowly leak out of the box.
Are you using the bio media beads that came with it? It sounds like it's not heavy enough to stay down.
@@tinabloomfield7228 no, I used MarinePure Gems, but maybe those aren’t heavy enough 🤔
Never had that problem myself, but if it is like my Fluval 30 gallon filter, perhaps the removable basket containing the sponge, ceramic biomedia, charcoal bag(..or whatever you have in the basket) has not been correctly locked inplace. Or is the media within the basket rising within the basket to push the lid up instead of the entire basket, itself rising?
I had the same problem a few times. I managed to avoid it by making sure the notches on the sides clicked onto the nubs. It's somewhat of a pain to do especially when the filter floss gets in the way. Good luck!
Oh goodness, I’ve been very lucky then. I totally clean mine about every other month. When I do, I do not vacuum the rocks or clean the tank deco. From now on I’ll do this. My Raphael cat fish is 10 yrs and I’ve had him 5 yrs now. He seems good and healthy thank goodness 😅
Question. When I got a new tank in the box, I ran hot water on the filter and black water came out!!! Was this like charcoal in the filter I washed away? Or a dirty filter?
i've been binging on a lot of your videos, such great info!!!
I rinse my filters in separate bucket amounts of aquarium water. That way it squeezes clean. I’m wondering if I’m squeezing too vigorously though, b/c I’m getting white cloudiness that last a couple of days.
Hi from Australia. I got a question. My canister filters is on its way out on my african chiclid tank. I have a new one on the way. How do I change them over? Do I need to run my new one at the same time with my old one for a while? Or can I swap it straight out?
"We came into this hobby for the fish, not the work"
Me who came in the hobby for both 👁👄👁
Right?
The maintenance is so zen for me.
I was gifted a 20 gallon tank with a Eclipse hood filter system.. they no longer make filter cartridges for it that I can find. Any suggestions on what I can use for it?
Please advise? I have just purchased a Fumak Submersible Fillter. Not a Flumak for my 2 cool Red Eared Sliders. Anyways, How do I clean this Canister? I can't find the pamphlet, nothing online? I think I should be getting more pressure behind the flow? Also I thought if I take it out of the Water a bit, the nozzle should shoot water but nothing happens when the Canister is still under water? Please advise? I always had Back Drop Filters but was disappointed. This is cleaning their green water awesome. Just seems clogged to me. I have the air hose hanging off the side as should be. I only get a gentle bubble with a 3 inch span of water forcing out?
Really enjoy yourlogic. Thank you.
This one is really an often put aside and neglected, but important topic.
Though I wish the community broke out "filtration" more, particularly for new hobbyist's.... We use it as an umbrella term, but it's really not accurate.
1. Mechanical filtration, actually "filters": They need to be cleaned or replaced when it becomes clogs and degrades flow.
2. Chemical filtration, actually "absorbs": needs to be replaced when the media is consumed or depleted (varies according to compound).
3. Biological filtration, actually "converts": very rarely needs to be cleaned, most microbes regulate their populations according to available resources. Plants and algae can be lumped in here too as they adsorb or convert; we remove excess biomass as it becomes degraded or overly dense.
Problems arise when one "filter" performs more than one function. Your sponge filter is a good example. Because it is both mechanical and biological, you have to maintenance it according to the function which degrades first. But as you noted, rising it briefly isn't a big issue. It's limited exposure, yes. But the rest of the tank is also colonized with aerobic bacteria regardless, and will act as a reserve until your sponge recolonizes. Care only needs to be taken in newer systems, or ones with little surface area to colonize.
And yes, Jason is a fantastic source to reference.
Any advice, I got a aqua one hang on filter which when I take it out to do a clean (which now I know I don’t need to completely clear it) it sometimes stops working and takes a while to go back on, is this a sign I need a new filter. I am also going to upgrade the tank it’s a 28L for 2 goldfish which are growing so I need another one for them. Is it worth buying a new filter or just waiting and maintaining it until I get a new fishtank and filter
Also my tank gets like whitish cloudy after 5 days, is that normal or a sign I need to clean it more often
I use aquaclear HOB filters in my two aquariums, I use a python to do my water changes, I have three sponges in each of my HOB filters, when I decide that its time to clean one or more of the sponges I take them to the sink and rinse them under the water that is being drained from the aquarium, your not dipping the sponge into a bucket of nasty water over and over again, instead you are running it under a flow of water that is coming from the aquarium
I do the same with my oase pre-filters.
Question is there a way to control the flow of a canister fliter
You are a big big help thank you so much
Thank you. Very informative
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 have a a HOB cartridge filter - just to clarify, you just replace the cartridge outright? Do you have to worry about all the beneficial bacteria being thrown out ? (e.g. do you somehow introduce the new cartridge while the old one is still in there so it seeds with bacteria? )
All these videos are so educational & entertaining!
Speaking of cleaning, what are your thoughts on aquarium decorations, like sunken ships, treasure chests, divers, etc. You know, the ones sold at petsmart/petco..how do you properly prepare these decorations? Is rinsing it with water enough? How about action figures? Toys? I thought it would be awesome to put an eastern asia pagoda in the fish tank or maybe a gundam action figure.
I have a 29 gallon tank full of guppies, black mollies, and bristle-nose plecos. I've had the tank since this passed December. Up until a couple days ago, I hadn't touched the filter at all (to allow the bacteria to flourish). A couple days ago, I came home to my tank missing a gallon or two of water... Where did it all go? The floor! The filter cartridge was SO full of brown muck that the water was flowing over it instead of through it! Lesson learnt for me personally, haha!
Advice on seeding a freshwater tank with copepods? Just got some chili rasbora looking to give them a good diet.
My question:
Some hobbyists say that you don’t need to replace the cartridges in hang on the back filters until they begin to fall apart. Only to swig them around in siphoned tank water or rinse in the tap. Is this true or should you replace once a month like the manufacturer suggests?
i also hose out my cannister sponges...but only rinse the bio media off with tank water...be doing it for 10 years....high pressure gets them much cleaner, its the bio lava rock/noodle etc that houses the bacteria...the sponge do to but their purpose is pre filter so the water is clean when it reaches the bio media.
A couple thoughts while watching your video.
1) Are there any fish that will dirty a tank faster?
2) I have not had live planes, will they dirty the tank faster?
Enjoy the video, look forward to hearing your answer.
Not going to make any commercial for a specific manufacturer, but I got a couple of canister filters. I am using intake sponge filters and I clean them every two weeks. Over the years I expanded the cleaning cycle for the canister filter itself and by now I am at three years! YES, THREE YEARS and its still looking ok. As a disclaimer I have to say that I dont have tons of fish in my tanks. Also I have teresstial plants on all my tanks, they really help cleaning the water.
With my cannister filter, I basically let it tell me when it needs cleaning. After several months the flow coming out of the output is a trickle, but once I clean the filter, it goes back to it's normal flow rate.
Would it be possible to switch the cartridge in a hob filter to a reusable sponge? Has anyone tried it and have tips/comments?
Can you wash out the charcoal filter for the aqua clear hang on the back filter and use it again?
And this is why ur my #1 go to when I have any questions.. In no way am i a hobbyist but its been almost 4 years now and my fish are very happy my cory's had layed many eggs and i now had to get a much bigger aquarium for all my fish.. So thank you😍
Great video and info john. Was wondering what kind of fish is that with your Oscars in the 2:20 mark? Would love to see more Oscar videos. We just re homed and moved some of our African cichlids around to free up a aquarium for a couple oscars.
Took your advice, still haven't received my free fish 😁
Learning all this makes me think of how tough my fishes are to survive everything i was doing wrong... Always used tap water for cleaning and done it thoroughly...
I have a hang on the back back filter. After about two weeks it starts filling up and leaking over the top. Is there something I can do to keep this from happening and not having to replace the filter bi weekly.