Rinsing/Replacing AC biomedia

**blu** · 01-03-2013, 05:07 AM

Do any of you actually change your biomedia in your aquaclear filters or do you just rinse it. I believe the box says to put in new media every 3 months?( would have to look at the box for specifics) but it does say to change it. I have before but it just seems like it would be doing more damage than good. So should I continue just giving it a little shake off in tank water to get any gunk off, or should I be replacing it like the box says?

**Goes to 11!** · 01-03-2013, 05:10 AM

Originally Posted by blu

Do any of you actually change your biomedia in your aquaclear filters or do you just rinse it? Nope, I just rinse mine
So should I continue just giving it a little shake off in tank water to get any gunk off, or should I be replacing it like the box says?

Keep doing as your doing. I have absolutely no idea how old my media is if that tells you anything, I have no plans to replace it either.

**blu** · 01-03-2013, 07:40 AM

cool, maybe it is just a marketing thing...more profits if people have to replace stuff.

**Goes to 11!** · 01-03-2013, 07:43 AM

Originally Posted by blu

cool, maybe it is just a marketing thing...more profits if people have to replace stuff.

Exactly... Knowledge is your friend.

**Lady Hobbs** · 01-03-2013, 11:48 AM

I have added new sponges to mine but I also have a canister filter running so no bacteria would be lost. I would not replace it without a secondary filter to make up for what you remove. Based on the same reasoning, I also clean my sponge under hard-flowing water right from my tap to get it cleaner.

But I replaced the sponge after 2 years, not 3 months. That's not necessary at all.

**ryann** · 01-03-2013, 12:50 PM

I don't want to change the topic here but if you clean the sponge under hard-flowing water right from your tap would it kill some of the BB on your sponge? Should you only do this when you have another filter running so you don't lose BB or is it fine to do whenever?

**imma24** · 01-03-2013, 12:55 PM

Originally Posted by ryann

I don't want to change the topic here but if you clean the sponge under hard-flowing water right from your tap would it kill some of the BB on your sponge? Should you only do this when you have another filter running so you don't lose BB or is it fine to do whenever?

If you clean the sponge right under tap water, yes you will kill BB - that's the whole reason for dechlorinator - chlorine & other things in tap water kills BB.

Sponges get cleaned in used tank water or dechlorinated tap water - doesn't matter if you have another filter running.

**ryann** · 01-03-2013, 01:01 PM

Originally Posted by Lady Hobbs

I also clean my sponge under hard-flowing water right from my tap to get it cleaner.

But people obviously do this, so is it only safe to do if you have another filter running or is it okay to do if you save the BB on from the biomax that is also in AC filters?

**Tiari** · 01-03-2013, 01:06 PM

Never replace the actual biomax. Unless it was crumbling into dust, very unlikely, the whole point of the biomax is to keep the beneficial bacteria growing.

The sponges, I've found, degenerate over time. After about a year mine seem to shrink and don't tightly fit the filter basket leaving gaps. Those I will replace with new whenever this happens. Keeping the biomax and changing the sponge only has been fine for me, without cycle spikes.