spring startup filter media cleaning

[mrsclem]

There have been many threads about cleaning filter media during warm months. My question is how everyone cleans their media prior to restarting up their ponds in the spring. My case- 2 ponds totaling about 10000 gal. 3- 55 gal. drums & 1 Savio waterfall filter on one containing a mix of spring-flo, matala, furnace filter pads and nylon window screen. The other pond has 2- 150gal. stocktank filters filled with lava rock, plastic scrubbies and the green kitchen scrubbies.
We shut the pumps off when the temps got well below freezing. ( Filters had been cleaned 2 weeks before). Now I have dried out filter media that needs to be cleaned as temp today is 65+. Matala and furnace filters are in washing machine (don't tell hubby) but what does everyone else do to clean their media?
Could I just get away with hosing everything down with tap water?

 

[sissy]

I just soak them in peroxide and water and put them back in .Other than that I do nothing else .

 

[j.w]

When I had my filter going (don't have one right now unless you count the flat media I protect the pump with) I just hosed mine down as I like to keep the good bacteria on them alive as much as possible.

 

[mrsclem]

Think I'm going to close the drains and fill with tap water & let them set. I want to get the pumps going as the water in both ponds has gone green from the warm weather we have had. I want to get the shade cloth back up but with heavy rain, sind and possible snow it's not a good idea.

 

[sissy]

put in a lot of activated charcoal .I put 3 lbs in each filter .I buy it from pet mountain .It is lees than 5 dollars for 3 lbs

 

[mrsclem]

Sissy, I know you use crushed oyster shells. What type of container do you put them in?

 

[sissy]

I use dollar store laundry bags there are sometimes 3 or 4 in a box and are fine enough mesh .With oyster shells I sometimes double them up .You will get fine powder from the crushed oyster shells from tractor supply but that helps buffer the water more
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