Filter Floss Maintenance?

NickBee · 01/05/2007, 08:47 AM

We have a month old tank that went trough itâ€™s cycle. The water entering the sump 1st does through a chamber with filter floss (blue stuff). Should the floss be rinsed or replaced every so often? If so is tap water ok to rinse it in (my guess is no)â€¦

If it makes a difference itâ€™s a 75 Gal fish only tank.

Thanks!

casingbill · 01/05/2007, 09:37 AM

I rinse my filter floss alot. Every couple days. You'd be surprised how much junk it can pick up. I have also changed it a couple times in the last 2 months.

dcombs44 · 01/05/2007, 09:41 AM

You definitely need to at least rinse it once a week. If not, it will become a huge nitrate source.

NickBee · 01/05/2007, 09:43 AM

Can you get away with using tap water when rinsing? Thanks!

casingbill · 01/05/2007, 09:45 AM

not sure, but i do...just wring it out good

rick s · 01/05/2007, 11:04 AM

Do you have live rock in the tank? How much?

The reason I ask is: If you don't, then that floss may be your only bacterial filter bed. If you rinse it in tap water you will kill the beneficial bacteria on it.

I have live rock that makes up the majority of my filtration. I hand wash my filter sponges in tap water every week and them let them air dry (I have 2 sets of sponges).

HBtank · 01/05/2007, 11:12 AM

It's so cheap that I just always use new filter floss....

I use only a little in my cannister that has carbon and phosban, so I change it all at the same time.

It can be a nitrate factory... But in such a small amount I don't worry. Carbon can be even worse anyways, so I worry more about it becoming a nitrate source than the little bit of floss I use..

If I was to wash it, or sponges etc.. I use hot tap water and wring it out good. I want to make sure to kill all that bacteria. That little bit of tap water is not an issue...

NickBee · 01/05/2007, 12:42 PM

Ya about 100 lbs of live rock... The floss is just there to take out the solid matter I guess...

thanks!

01/05/2007, 08:47 AM	#1
NickBee Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Northern, NJ Posts: 624	Filter Floss Maintenance? We have a month old tank that went trough itâ€™s cycle. The water entering the sump 1st does through a chamber with filter floss (blue stuff). Should the floss be rinsed or replaced every so often? If so is tap water ok to rinse it in (my guess is no)â€¦ If it makes a difference itâ€™s a 75 Gal fish only tank. Thanks!

01/05/2007, 09:37 AM	#2
casingbill Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Stanfordville, NY Posts: 480	I rinse my filter floss alot. Every couple days. You'd be surprised how much junk it can pick up. I have also changed it a couple times in the last 2 months. __________________ Opinions are like nipples on a man...we all have at least 2 and they're completely useless! Current Tank Info: AGA 90g reef in works,

01/05/2007, 09:41 AM	#3
dcombs44 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 2,913	You definitely need to at least rinse it once a week. If not, it will become a huge nitrate source. __________________ Current Setup: 10 Gallon Skimmerless Zoanthid Tank Lighting: Single 175 Watt Metal Halide (14,000 K Hamilton Lamp) Filtration: 10 gallon sump/refugium and Phosban Reactor Return: Mag Drive 700 Controller: ReefKeeper Lite (Basic Version) Circulation: TBD Age of System: Build is in Progress

01/05/2007, 09:43 AM	#4
NickBee Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Northern, NJ Posts: 624	Can you get away with using tap water when rinsing? Thanks! __________________ Livestock: Yellow Tang Blue Spotted Toby Foxface Blue Damsel 2 True Percs Flame Hawk 6 Line Wrasse Coral Banded Shrimp 6 Assorted Snails Current Tank Info: 75 Gal AGA FOWLR, 30 Gal Sump, Turboflotor 1000 Multi Skimmer, 10 Gal Fuge

01/05/2007, 09:45 AM	#5
casingbill Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Stanfordville, NY Posts: 480	not sure, but i do...just wring it out good __________________ Opinions are like nipples on a man...we all have at least 2 and they're completely useless! Current Tank Info: AGA 90g reef in works,

01/05/2007, 11:04 AM	#6
rick s Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Chester, VA Posts: 2,993	Do you have live rock in the tank? How much? The reason I ask is: If you don't, then that floss may be your only bacterial filter bed. If you rinse it in tap water you will kill the beneficial bacteria on it. I have live rock that makes up the majority of my filtration. I hand wash my filter sponges in tap water every week and them let them air dry (I have 2 sets of sponges). __________________ Rick Current Tank Info: Reefer Emeritus

01/05/2007, 11:12 AM	#7
HBtank Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Huntington Beach, CA Posts: 2,957	It's so cheap that I just always use new filter floss.... I use only a little in my cannister that has carbon and phosban, so I change it all at the same time. It can be a nitrate factory... But in such a small amount I don't worry. Carbon can be even worse anyways, so I worry more about it becoming a nitrate source than the little bit of floss I use.. If I was to wash it, or sponges etc.. I use hot tap water and wring it out good. I want to make sure to kill all that bacteria. That little bit of tap water is not an issue... __________________ 80g Aiptasia dominated reef tank.. with fish and now a bunch of berghia! Current Tank Info: 80g tank, re-starting a reef after a zoanthid nudibranch plauge, followed by months of steady and unstoppable STN/RTN, crashed; stayed FOWLR for a couple years, currently an aiptasia dominated reef tank with fishies and BERGHIA

01/05/2007, 12:42 PM	#8
NickBee Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Northern, NJ Posts: 624	Ya about 100 lbs of live rock... The floss is just there to take out the solid matter I guess... thanks! __________________ Livestock: Yellow Tang Blue Spotted Toby Foxface Blue Damsel 2 True Percs Flame Hawk 6 Line Wrasse Coral Banded Shrimp 6 Assorted Snails Current Tank Info: 75 Gal AGA FOWLR, 30 Gal Sump, Turboflotor 1000 Multi Skimmer, 10 Gal Fuge