# Eheim media reuse versus just rinse and repeat(2213/2215/2217)



## KhuliLoachFan (Mar 8, 2008)

So do people actually buy new Eheim media? Does it make a difference? Or do you just clean the things and reuse the media for years? Can you see when the media is worn out? Or can you see the difference somehow in your tanks when the media needs replacing?

I don't run carbon. I just rinse the floss, drain the mulm out 90%, put 10% of the mulm into a bucket, and cycle the filter with new water and 10% old mulm, and run it for two hours, and put it back in. Am I doing it wrong?

W


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## WiyRay (Jan 11, 2009)

I don't think you need to replaced any of the media unless it is worn down.

The ceramic rings do nothing except for disperse flow evenly and a bit of mechanical filtration. The sponge is purely for mechanical filtration. The biomedia is essentially just a settling ground for bacteria to grow on and the filter floss is to just filter out all the smaller particles. 

None of these ever gets used up like carbon. So the only time a person would replace it is if for some reason they are breaking.
The only thing that usually gets replaced on a regular basis is probably the filter floss because it is just a pain to clean it out completely.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

I don't run the carbon pad on any FW tanks. I threw it out after the first filter service.

I just run the ceramic rings, blue coarse filter pad, efisubstrat/pro, then filter floss. I rinse the blue pad and ceramic rings in tap water to get all the crap out, rinse the Efisubstrat in old tank water till it's clean, and I either rinse the filter floss under tap water to clean it, or just use new floss.

Never had a problem ever.


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## oshiet (Oct 23, 2009)

Manufacturers recommend replacing the biological media so they can put more money in their pockets. No need though.


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## Zebrapl3co (Mar 29, 2006)

Actually, the bio media does loose some of it's effectiveness to house bacteria over time. This is because some may die or they left by products behind. Over the course of time, they clog the pours and thus making the media none-porous.
That's what I found with my self made bio ceramic. I didn't make the pours big enough. If I get the time, I'll make another batch with bigger pours. But I would assume that all the bio ceramic out there share this problem. That's why some of them have bigger pours. However, the problem with bigger pours is that they tend to fall apart very easily, leaving dust all over the place.
I find that if you roast it under high heat. You can burn those "bio-stuff" to ash and then rinse the ash out.
That's why the manufactuer recommends you to replace some of the bio-ceramic every year. It's because they know that the effectiveness to house large amounts of bacteria goes down hill with time as the pours get clog.

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## KhuliLoachFan (Mar 8, 2008)

What about a bleach soak, or acid (even vinegar) soak?

W


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

Zebrapl3co said:


> Actually, the bio media does loose some of it's effectiveness to house bacteria over time. This is because some may die or they left by products behind. Over the course of time, they clog the pours and thus making the media none-porous.
> That's what I found with my self made bio ceramic. I didn't make the pours big enough. If I get the time, I'll make another batch with bigger pours. But I would assume that all the bio ceramic out there share this problem. That's why some of them have bigger pours. However, the problem with bigger pours is that they tend to fall apart very easily, leaving dust all over the place.


The problem is that with larger *pores*, you will get less effective surface area for bacteria to colonize. It is a fine balance between having excessively small holes (and thus, having the media clog easily) or excessively large holes (and thus, not having the same surface area).


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## fish_luva (Nov 24, 2009)

KhuliLoachFan said:


> So do people actually buy new Eheim media? Does it make a difference? Or do you just clean the things and reuse the media for years? Can you see when the media is worn out? Or can you see the difference somehow in your tanks when the media needs replacing?
> 
> I don't run carbon. I just rinse the floss, drain the mulm out 90%, put 10% of the mulm into a bucket, and cycle the filter with new water and 10% old mulm, and run it for two hours, and put it back in. Am I doing it wrong?
> 
> W


Great question Jhuliloachfan, I just asked a general question like that a few minutes ago in the Beginners circle regarding replacing substrate for biological in canister filters.... Missed this thread... I wish someone could recommend a very cheap replacement.. can't afford to replace 1/3 every so often and especially when i get to having multiple tanks.. yikes....
cheers!!!!
sheldon


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## fish_luva (Nov 24, 2009)

KhuliLoachFan said:


> What about a bleach soak, or acid (even vinegar) soak?
> 
> W


Would that not be like the CLR stuff you see on tv with the clogged showerhead pores and so forth?  
Does that make any sense.. big smiles... i'm thinking like you on this one


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