how to clean a canister filter?

[jameshtruong]

now that i think about it every time i clean my filter i use fresh water. does that harm the bacteria?

[soymilk]

Yes.... I would try to use old water from a water change. What are you cleaning? The biomedia or the filterpads?

[jameshtruong]

i see. both! do i have to clean the media? it always had alotof debris though.

[soymilk]

It's best to rinse the media out to get rid of all the detritus. That debris will slowly rot there and add nitrates into your system. This is the reason people don't recommend canister filters for saltwater.

I would look into getting a sump and skimmer for a more complete filtration system.

[soymilk]

Not to say you can't use a canister filter, it just more work. Canister filters excel in converting ammonia into nitrite, nitrite into nitrate. But this is where it stops. It really doesn't put a dent into converting nitrate into nitrogen.

Nitrate is the bane of reefkeeping. It will lower water quality, making your corals suffer if it gets high enough. It also inhibits algae growth. We try to limit as much nitrate possible, and we do so in various different ways. I can go deeper on the subject but I don't wanna waste my breath if you already know.