# Filter media?



## ilikefish (Mar 10, 2008)

how often do u have to change the media and those other tube things at the bottum?
When i clean filter do i guess squeeze out the filters a bit?


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## Fish_Man (Apr 9, 2010)

ilikefish said:


> how often do u have to change the media and those other tube things at the bottum?
> When i clean filter do i guess squeeze out the filters a bit?


Personally for me at least I change it every few weeks for my cichlid tank but all other tanks maybe once a month or so.

You want to do this when you're doing water change (ideal) so you squeeze the filter sponge in the fish water that you have taken out of your tank. 
Its advised to clean the filter with fish tank water instead of tap water.


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## ilikefish (Mar 10, 2008)

how often do u have to change the media and those other tube things at the bottom?


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## Fish_Man (Apr 9, 2010)

ilikefish said:


> how often do u have to change the media and those other tube things at the bottom?


Media - sponge (haven't change once yet)

Tube Things (I'm guessing you're talking about the ceramic rings ) don't change either.

I just rinse them but I don't throw it out and put in a new one. I could be wrong and also being cheap 

Oh if you have carbon/ammonia crystals - those you change every month or so I believe. I stop using those and put all sponge in my filters.


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## ilikefish (Mar 10, 2008)

im talking about the small grey rocks/media


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## gucci17 (Oct 11, 2007)

Just rinse it out with tank water. You can even take some of the media and completely clean it thoroughly after being in use for a long time. I very rarely replace media. Sponges will get clogged over time and I replace those every so often when I notice they are too clogged up even after a good rinse. 

What type of filter are you using anyways?


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## ilikefish (Mar 10, 2008)

gucci17 said:


> Just rinse it out with tank water. You can even take some of the media and completely clean it thoroughly after being in use for a long time. I very rarely replace media. Sponges will get clogged over time and I replace those every so often when I notice they are too clogged up even after a good rinse.
> 
> What type of filter are you using anyways?


can i clean it out with tap water...eihem filter


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## gucci17 (Oct 11, 2007)

ilikefish said:


> can i clean it out with tap water...eihem filter


Yes but like I said only clean some of it as you don't want to kill off the entire colony of bacteria.


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## BettaBeats (Jan 14, 2010)

there might be contaminants in your tap water, that is why it is advised to clean the filter during a water change


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