# Filter Cleaning for NPT's



## Red_Rose (Mar 18, 2007)

I'm just curious as to how often the people who have El Natural set ups clean out their filters?

I know that when it comes to these types of tanks, the only thing most people add to their filters is sponge or filter floss to collect debris. Feel free to post on how often you clean out your filter so I and other people who are new to this know when to give their filters and media a good cleaning out. 

This mainly applies to those who actually keep filters/powerheads in their tanks.


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## bartoli (May 8, 2006)

There is no filter in any of my NPT tanks. Thus, there is no filter to clean.


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## PlantMauller (Oct 15, 2007)

I have a 55 gallon NPT and only use a Submariner 7W UV Sterilizer. It's an in-tank unit and it has a pretty coarse pad to keep out the larger particles. I've run my setup like that for about 2 months w/ no problems.


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## ItsDubC (Jan 12, 2008)

I'm filter-less as well.


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## Red_Rose (Mar 18, 2007)

ItsDubC said:


> I'm filter-less as well.





bartoli said:


> There is no filter in any of my NPT tanks. Thus, there is no filter to clean.


Thank you for posting but saying that you don't keep filters in your tanks doesn't really help those who don't know when it would be best to clean out a filter/powerhead that they use in their tanks.


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## bartoli (May 8, 2006)

Sometimes a more helpful answer is one that does not answer the question directly, but rather point out that there is another way of dealing with the issue. I wouldn't be surprised if many beginners thought their NPTs must have a filter because of their prior exposure to non-NPT. Knowing that other NPTs are filter-less may cause some beginners to reconsider whether they really need a filter.


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

I clean filters when they slow down. 
Some seem to need attention almost every week (the sponge over the intake, at least)
Other go several months between cleanings.


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## ItsDubC (Jan 12, 2008)

I voted "Other... please specify" and my previous post was me specifying. If it truly wasn't helpful to you then I apologize for apparently misinterpreting your poll, but I do feel that the information might be helpful to ppl other than yourself.


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## Red_Rose (Mar 18, 2007)

ItsDubC said:


> I voted "Other... please specify" and my previous post was me specifying. If it truly wasn't helpful to you then I apologize for apparently misinterpreting your poll, but I do feel that the information might be helpful to ppl other than yourself.


I should've been more clear with the "other" option. I had put that there in case some cleaned their filters out four time a year or something like that since four times a year was not on the poll to choose from.

Bartoli,

I will admit that filters aren't really needed in NPT's since my tank use to be filterless up until a month ago but I will admit that it was something I always wanted in my tank and I'm sure that there are beginners who would like some water movement in their new set ups as well to help evenly distribute heat around the tank, for fish who like some water movement or for mechanical filtration. I've found that my tank, even though I never really had any problems with it except for some algae, is actually doing better now that the filter is in there.



Diana K said:


> I clean filters when they slow down.
> Some seem to need attention almost every week (the sponge over the intake, at least)
> Other go several months between cleanings.


I also have sponge over the intake so that's good to know that it may need to be cleaned more frequently.


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## mommyeireanne (Oct 24, 2007)

I have a small powerhead in one tank that I covered with pantyhose and I clean it out when I trim monthly. This keeps it from clogging and looks better. 
I have a small submariner UV filter with the coarse sponge in the other tank. I have to clean it out at least once a month, mainly because my very hard water deposits calcium on the quartz sleeve like crazy. But also, I don't want the bacteria to compete with my plants.


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

My one true NPT has a sponge filter that I clean at the most once every six weeks and usually leave it no longer than once every 3 months. Depends on what I've been doing with the tank and if anything has gotten stirred up to clog the filter or if it's just happily doing it's own thing with no problems.


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## Red_Rose (Mar 18, 2007)

cs_gardener said:


> My one true NPT has a sponge filter that I clean at the most once every six weeks and usually leave it no longer than once every 3 months. Depends on what I've been doing with the tank and if anything has gotten stirred up to clog the filter or if it's just happily doing it's own thing with no problems.


That seems like a good time frame to leave a filter before cleaning it. I have sponge on the end of my extension tube so I have a feeling that I'm going to have to clean that up at the most, once every month since it's the first thing that the debris gets stuck into.


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