Am I cleaning these filters properly?

[arpunk]

Just want to make sure that I’m not disturbing any bacteria. Please don’t chime in with suggestions on what I could buy that would make it easier - my building is strangling me with budget; I only want to know if I’m harming the bacteria.

 

[rubyduby]

Just want to make sure that I’m not disturbing any bacteria. Please don’t chime in with suggestions on what I could buy that would make it easier - my building is strangling me with budget; I only want to know if I’m harming the bacteria.

I have a similar set up...I do not think your hose is strong enough to clean the mats properly. I think it would be better if you dunk them since there is so much sludge in the middle of the mats that needs to be gone in order to filter properly... I personally wash my mats with my garden hose on "jet" until the water comes out completely clear....I do, however, dunk my bioballs in pond water to get the sludge off....This method has worked for me and I have never had a water quality issue. If you stick to your present method I would suggest that you clean the sludge off more often so that the mats don't get that bad....

 

[Mgessert]

I agree, more pressure and more often. I rinse the sludge into my garden or around a shrub as fertilizer.

 

[Phaewryn]

I just blast my filter mats out with the garden hose on full blast. I also squish and beat them until clean. Then I dunk them in a bucket filled with declorinator (Prime), and put them back in the filter boxes. I do NOT rinse my bioballs/other filter media (I use a combination of many types in bags), and I do top off the beneficial bacteria (add a pump) afterwards. So long as you declorinate the mats before putting them back in, using tap water won't harm the bacteria in the rest of the media/pond.