Filter maintenance while preservation good bacteria

[Stratf01]

Hello all.
My first post so please be kind about my ignorance

I have a UV box filter that's been doing well for quite a long time. (Pondxpert UV box filter12000 18w) I keep a close eye on the foam filters at the top as they need dealt with quite regularly.

What im struggling to understand is what's involved in maintenance below the foam filters. (I have lots of plastic balls. )
I got the impression you don't really do much with that once the filter is established.

When I checked foam Filters yesterday it looked very very sludgy between the balls and I'm guessing the bottom of box is full of sludge.

Please could you help me understand what if any maintenance needs done here? There is a sludge drain point at bottom too but as I say I got impression you want to keep the "good stuff" in there but here to be educated.

Any help hugely appreciated
Thank you very much !

[Guppy]

At least you got the ball to ask ! Joke !
Welcome. The foam takes the solids out and the balls are a biological bed of good bacteria. This nullifies bad bacteria which eventually supports the wellbeing of the fish.
If you clean, wash, the balls, you're reducing the activity of the good bacteria which will take time to bring back to all systems go.
Cleaning the sponges/foam takes the strain off the bacteria s job.
I do like the Hozelock Revolution pressure filters for the ease off fuss free regular cleaning.

[The Moo]

At least you got the ball to ask ! Joke !
Welcome. The foam takes the solids out and the balls are a biological bed of good bacteria. This nullifies bad bacteria which eventually supports the wellbeing of the fish.
If you clean, wash, the balls, you're reducing the activity of the good bacteria which will take time to bring back to all systems go.
Cleaning the sponges/foam takes the strain off the bacteria s job.
I do like the Hozelock Revolution pressure filters for the ease off fuss free regular cleaning.

Would you not consider rinsing out the worst of the sludge at the bottom of the filter with water taken out of the pond?

[pacman75]

If there is sludge etc at the bottom this needs removing. For media to work effectively biologically then it should be free of debris. If it was me I'd give it all a proper clean in pond water so beneficial bacteria is retained. Do not wash the media in tap water

[Guppy]

At least you got the ball to ask ! Joke !
Welcome. The foam takes the solids out and the balls are a biological bed of good bacteria. This nullifies bad bacteria which eventually supports the wellbeing of the fish.
If you clean, wash, the balls, you're reducing the activity of the good bacteria which will take time to bring back to all systems go.
Cleaning the sponges/foam takes the strain off the bacteria s job.
I do like the Hozelock Revolution pressure filters for the ease off fuss free regular cleaning.

Would you not consider rinsing out the worst of the sludge at the bottom of the filter with water taken out of the pond?

If doing an annual filter clean, yes, but with different grades of filter foam AND regular sponge cleaning, the sludge is not really concernable.
I knew a pond keeper who used to put the foam sponges in the washing machine while the wife was out.
No problem with his pond, a really nice one,which was his pride and joy.

[Stratf01]

Thank you all very much for the advice.
Much appreciated!

[GDL]

Anything below the sludge level is not helping filtration. The bacteria live on the surface of the plastic balls.
As has been said above, a wash in pond water will do no harm at all. Get rid of the sludge, it can harbour types of bacteria and other nasties that you do not want.

[rayj]

Would you recommend putting an air stone in the brush chamber of a filter box or would it serve no purpose?

[pacman75]

I wouldn't as it will act against the crud gathering in the brushes. Air in the biological media is beneficial though.

[rayj]

Thank you, I’ll just leave the brushes alone then. I’m in the process of making a prefilter for my eazypod to help take some of the solids out before they enter the media in the pod. I’ve just got a blue barrel full of black knight brushes at the moment