# FLuval Edge 23L Filter - Cleaning



## Bopowarls (11 Jan 2019)

Good morning all, 

Some advice please as I've got conflicting information in my fluval edge manual and the fluval website.

My filter is set up as a foam filter, biological biomax filter and then a carbon filter. How often should I be cleaning (rinsing in tank water) each of the filter media (should I ever clean the biological filter?) or how often should I be changing out the filters?

My manual says to change the bio and carbon every alternative month for a new one and the foam every 2 months. Their website says to change every 6 months...

This is my first time with a tank so any advice would be appreciated.

Owen


----------



## alto (12 Jan 2019)

The is rather like those bio-enhancers 

I’ve not run an Edge so can’t manage to picture the foam at the moment, but if it’s anything like the foam quality used in Fluval’s Spec series, I’ve run the same foam blocks for years, I also just rinse the “biomedia” ceramic bits and run those for a good line while (bit more difficult to determine if these are “blocked” compared to the foams)

I rarely run any carbon ... I’m cheap I guess ... well, OK, it’s mostly my lazy character flaw that can’t be bothered with the proper running of carbon (note most freshwater carbon is low grade, poor activity stuff - if you want to effectively use carbon (for its intended activity), then buy marine grade carbon) 
 - at least in this regard, Fluval is current, carbon must be replaced regularly, though if that tiny bit of carbon (in those expensive boxes) can last 2 months, it must be magic carbon (it’s certainty not high grade so it must be a spell that keeps it working for that long )

Rinse media in treated tap water or tank water - makes no difference, go for convenience BUT don’t rinse foam etc in the actual tank

Depending on fish load and type of fish and type of substrate, rinse the sponge weekly to monthly - if it’s full of debris, then rinse more often, if the rinse water (in the white bucket) still looks clean, then give it another week

Conservative Says, don’t clean all your media at the same time (I run canister filters so do clean the media all in one go but this filter type tends to have ALOT of media compared to other filters), instead, try to stagger media cleaning by 2 weeks

Fluval of course would love to sell you all that media on a nice, regular rotating basis


----------



## rubadudbdub (14 Jan 2019)

I’ve got foams I’ve had for years and years.  The juwel foams are 12 years old, an old fluval internal filter foam even older than that. 

Eventually they go stiff or fine foams reduce flow as they’re clogged beyond cleaning.  You really don’t need to replace foam every two to six months, only when it’s clogged beyond being cleanable or falling apart.  The foam will contain useful bacteria so replacing it so often risks unsettling the filter bacteria with each change,

I guess it’s a planted tank, hence you coming to ukaps, so you can not bother with the carbon. 

If I were you at water changes I’d squeeze the foam in old tank water as alto said.  Rinse the harder bio media just to shake off debris, it never needs replacing.  Carbon it’s up to you, personally I’d throw out the carbon when it’s exhausted after 2-4 weeks and not replace it.  Regular water changes will help far more than carbon for overall tank health.

When you come to replace foam the cheaper option than buying the expensive little fluval foams is to get any generic foam of the same coarseness and cut it yourself to fit the filter.


----------



## Bopowarls (14 Jan 2019)

Hi All, thanks for the advice. Yes, tank is full of plants.. In that case, i'll clean and rinse the foam in old tank water when doing water changes and the bio media I'll rinse off.

Saves me some money.

Thank you!


----------

