Wavebox maintenance

marie · #1 01-11-2009, 06:30 PM

Dave (Mrfish55) was over the other day and asked if I had the box turned way down. I didn't but I knew it was way over due for cleaning so today I took it apart and cleaned it. I have sponges growing on my sponge, feather duster worms 6" long, coralline algae (How does it grow in there it can't possibly get any light

) bubble algae, snails, worms and pods galore.
After putting it all back together and turning it back on I realized it was operating at less than half capacity before cleaning. Should these things be cleaned every 6 months? (well mine should be obviously) .

So have you cleaned your wavebox recently?

Chowder · #2 01-11-2009, 06:53 PM

Not sure what the manditory time fram is for cleaning these things. I had mine apart about 2 months ago and am cleaning it today . It too is looking like it is running about half spead.

Chris

marie · #3 01-11-2009, 06:57 PM

It's been about 15 months for mine

. I clean my other power heads every 2 months but it never occurs to me to clean the wavebox

Chowder · #4 01-11-2009, 07:05 PM

Only reason I am doing it is because I have noticed it is not performing like it should.

Chris

GreenSpottedPuffer · #5 01-11-2009, 07:06 PM

Good to know. I am just picking one up this week.

christyf5 · #6 01-11-2009, 07:16 PM

I clean mine when I clean my powerheads. That is, when I remember to clean my powerheads

I guess this is about every 3-6 months or so. It always boggles my mind how much stuff grows in there. Its a haven for bubble algae and feather dusters (no coralline though

). Nothing grows on the sponge except for the dreaded "detritus". I really wish they'd come up with a better system than that sponge as I think its the source of my nitrate issues, or at least part of it.