Chlorine/chloramine

[bamzam]

How fast does chlorine/chloramine kill off the good bacteria? I have always cleaned my filter media in tap water and have never had any issues. Is the bacteria on my substrate keeping me from having issues until the biomedia on the filter builds up bacteria again? Or is it because I usually finish my cleaning within an hour and dose prime into the tank, neutralizing the chlorine/chloramine before it has had time to kill the bacteria in my filter?

[EpikMuffin]

You might find diffident opinions for this question. If tap water works that well you won't need soap to kill bateria. I've been using tap water to clean my filter as well. faucet has just right pressure for quick rinse compare to tank water in a bucket. I've never experienced anything bad. Of course don't use hot water or wash them for too long and it's should be ok. This is just my experience.

[blaciarmd]

Many will disagree, but reducing the bacterial population of media is actually a beneficial thing. it is when the bacteria colony is growing that their ability to process ammonia and nitrite increases. There is no harm rinsing media in tap water briefly to cleanse loose dirt and crud off of the media. I know I'll receive hate mail for the above statement, but it is 2016 and we should be providing evidenced based information to hobbyist not pass on old wives tales that have been around so long.

[bamzam]

Many will disagree, but reducing the bacterial population of media is actually a beneficial thing. it is when the bacteria colony is growing that their ability to process ammonia and nitrite increases. There is no harm rinsing media in tap water briefly to cleanse loose dirt and crud off of the media. I know I'll receive hate mail for the above statement, but it is 2016 and we should be providing evidenced based information to hobbyist not pass on old wives tales that have been around so long.

Thanks. I'm just wondering if I'd need to change my habits if I decided to go bare bottom on a second tank. But sounds like I can continue to clean the same way.

[ptran]

Good question. I have also quickly rinsed off media under faucet without any problem. However, I would not dare to do this for expensive or sensitive type of fish.

[Dr Who]

I used sponge filters. I washed them in a washing machine. I had two in each tank. Only washed one per tank at a time.
NEVER use soap as per EpikMuffin comment.

[ptran]

I used sponge filters. I washed them in a washing machine. I had two in each tank. Only washed one per tank at a time.
NEVER use soap as per EpikMuffin comment.

I guess you can do that if you only wash 1 at the time. But why you need a washing machine?

[Dr Who]

I was washing many sponges at a time. Many times the machine was full.

[ptran]

LOL. You probably have 30 tanks.

[Dr Who]

No I had only 1000 aquariums and vats. Vats had 6 sponges each and each aquarium had two sponges.

[ptran]

You have a fish store?

[troy tucker]

In a tank with some type of substrate you can get away with rines off your media in tap water. If you are using a bear bottom tank you need two filters. I have Discus tank with no substrate. It filter media gets rinsed in tank water. As for hate mail. I don't have time for all that. They are not my fish. Take care of them the way you want too.

[troy tucker]

You have a fish store?

Probbly a breeder.

[Dr Who]

Both guesses are wrong. Last business was a wholesale. Before that I owned a 40 acre fish farm in Florida.

[ptran]

Wow, I heard about these fish farms. Wish to visit them in person.