Life of Matrix

[Tunnel Rat]

Hi
I was wondering how long does Matrix last before you need to wash,soak,or replace it ?
At one stage of its life the 3-30 micron range pores must start to clog up making the water simply flow around it or even making the inside of the blocked Matrix toxic ?
Can anybody enlighten me on this please

thx
Billy

[Merrilyn]

Billy I give the matrix and noodles in my canister filters a quick wash in tank water each time the filter floss in changed, usually each month.

That keeps the matrix relatively clean. Bacteria can be smothered by the accumulated debris clinging to the matrix.

[Tunnel Rat]

Billy I give the matrix and noodles in my canister filters a quick wash in tank water each time the filter floss in changed, usually each month.

That keeps the matrix relatively clean. Bacteria can be smothered by the accumulated debris clinging to the matrix.

Thanks for the info on the way you clean yours.
This is what seachem said
Hello,
You can gently rinse Matrix against itself to remove any
slime the bacteria produce on the substrate every few
months. It depends on bio-load and how dirty the water is.
Never replace all of your bio filtration at
once, because it will remove your beneficial bacteria. It
is a good idea to replace some Matrix a few times a
year to add new places for bacteria to colonize.
Seachem Support
10202
Tech Support


thx
Rat

[Proteus]

ok, you know I sell the stuff, so I should be saying replace, replace, replace...

Bah, replace yes, but not as much as they say.

If you keep it clean it will last years. With some advance planning you can set yourself up for years. i.e. if you need 5-6L of Matrix, but 8L. After 1 year, replace a litre or so. I dont believe in throwing the old stuff out, I just put it in a mesh bag and throw it in a back corner of the sump filter, it is still biologically active, and you can never have too much filtration.

Matrix is a good product, look after it, and it will look after your tank

[ILLUSN]

Proteus would you say the same for all the glass substrates eheim substrat/pro, jbl micromech etc? just reading on the JBL micromech pack it says to replace every 6 months

[Proteus]

I have both Eheim Subtrat Pro and Micromec in my sumps and canisters and none has been replaced in over 2 years, just a quick rinse on old tank water every 4-6 months to remove gunk buildup.

All my water parameters are spot on, given that it probably wouldnt hurt to change a small percentage but whilst nothing is broken, why change anything?