# Cleaning Filtration Media - West Texas Style



## jones57742 (Oct 31, 2006)

*Mechanical filtration media:*
Rinse thoroughly in a mild chlorine solution.
Rinse thoroughly in tap water.
Soak and rinse thoroughly in tap water to which a dechlorinate has been added.
(Please note that I utilize "so much of this media" that I perform this algorithm via my washing machine and dryer)

*Biological filtration media:*
Rinse a bucket out with tap water, empty and dry.
Siphon tank water into a bucket.
Remove the biological filtration media.
Rinse the biological filtration media in the bucket of tank water.
(Please note that I do this via the sump in my wet/dry system with the return pump off and then evacuate the sump prior to turning the pump "back on".)


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## herefishy (Dec 14, 2006)

Jonesy, do you mean to tell me that the power washer I've been using is overkill? :crazy:


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

herefishy said:


> Jonesy, do you mean to tell me that the power washer I've been using is overkill? :crazy:












I always do Ron's method of rinsing biological filtration. Herefishy, admit it! You keep 354 tanks.:evil:


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## jones57742 (Oct 31, 2006)

herefishy said:


> Jonesy, do you mean to tell me that the power washer I've been using is overkill? :crazy:


 :doh!: 

TR


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## herefishy (Dec 14, 2006)

Thanks for the article, Ron. I never would have guessed that my pressure washer was too much. It sure does tear the crap out of those pleated filters. Maybe they will last through one cleaning now. Good article even without my insanity. :tease:


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## jones57742 (Oct 31, 2006)

Additional items folks:

When I "wash" the mechanical filtration media I:

"turn the washing machine on soak and add approximately 1/2 cup of bleach";

"let the media 'set' in the washing machine for several hours or a day";

"turn the washing machine on soak again and add approximately 1/2 cup of bleach";

"let the media 'set' in the washing machine for several hours or a day";

wash the media with the "normal setting" at the one hour setting;

dry the media in the dryer on the 45 minute "normal setting".


The above described process may "seem like a pain" but it is not.

I have two buckets which I "fill up" with the mechanical media and which I keep on the back porch (ie. the media "sun dries").

These buckets can contain approximately 2 to 3 "months worth of" mechanical media.


In addition, as I use "a bunch" of 100Mu and 50Mu media and the cost of electricity, water and bleach is much, much less than using new media (not to mention the time required to cut the media).

The algorithm described herein also works with the very coarse "blue and white" mechanical media.

TR


BTW:

The above described algorithm does not "always work" on the th 50Mu media as some this media still appears to be "used media".

I have a "small stack" of it on the counter in the laundry room.

When I get a "washing machine full of it" I will experiment with "how to clean it".


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## herefishy (Dec 14, 2006)

Ron, may I suggest using panty hose or a "potato" bag (the netting kind) and place the media inside of it and then dropping it into the washer?

You see, sometimes my insanity is constructive. :crazy:


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## jones57742 (Oct 31, 2006)

Hf:

*Thanks a bunch for the thought

But

I have been there and done that (but not with a potato sack which I will try).*

This works "just fine" on the blue and white coarse media but does not "work at all" to "get the" 50Mu and 100Mu clean.


*For folks who are "following this thread" the reason "that we are talking about using the mild chlorine solution" is for general disinfection but more importantly for algae control.*

The 50Mu and 100Mu "traps a ton of algae" (even though not observable) and the coarse media also "traps some algae" (although not observable also). 
[Please note that this phenomena occurs even though the tank water may appear "crystal clear".]

Algae is "pesky stuff" and can literally survive virtually dormant in what would otherwise appear to dry media for periods of what IMHO are weeks. (This comment is made based on experience in "serious algae fighting" when I was unintentionally overfeeding.)

TR


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