Tidal HOB filter weekly maintenance?

[Random Luminosity]

I have a Tidal 75 on my tank, and every week when I remove the basket for weekly maintenance (cleaning sponges/media) during my water change when Im done and turn it back on it spits out a ton of debris into the tank (causing much eye twiching on my behalf seeing the clean tank go dirty again). So I must be doing something wrong here. Ive tried dialing down the flow before turning it back on, and this week I even tried leaving the basket in and just pulling the media and sponge out to clean, but no matter what I do I end up with a bunch of junk flowing back into the tank rather than being caught in the filter. The only idea i have left is to pull the HOB off the tank and dump it, but surely that cant be the weekly routine every one does...is it? I hope not because honestly thats a PITA and at that point Id probably consider getting a canister. I would think its not a good thing to dump all the junk the filter pulled out back into the tank

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

The basket is to change the media easily. But to actually clean the unit, you have to pick it up and bring it to your sink. A canister would be the same. That’s why I and a lot of other folks don’t use any mechanical filters at all, because it’s a hassle to clean.

 

[ScottJ]

I have used hob filters (including a Tidal) many, many years in FW and salt and I don't ever recall having that problem. I would defiantly pull it off the tank and give it a really good cleaning. For a salt tank, I like to have the adjustment set all the way to pull water into the skimmer.

 

[Thumbster]

I use a turkey baster to clean/suction out most of the debris before I put the basket back in.
It doesn’t get everything but it helps.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I use a turkey baster to clean/suction out most of the debris before I put the basket back in.
It doesn’t get everything but it helps.

That’s a great idea I never thought of

 

[Random Luminosity]

That’s a great idea I never thought of

it is. maybe I just need to go thru with my planned conversion of it into a HOB refugium if the mechanical filtration isnt doing any good (although Im not convinced of that given how dirty the sponge is every week). I have a RO HOB skimmer on the tank as well