hang on filter is about to overflow...help please

[gio28]

i have an aquaclear 50 and the water level is slowly rising to the point where it will overflow almost !!! its about 1/4" away from doing so. i clean it out all the time...but i dont clean the media..is that the problem? im scared to clean my sponge, chemipure, and biomax cause i dont wanna lose any beneficial bacteria...but idk is thats even the problem...im really confused on why it always gets to the point of overflow. please help

 

[scsinet]

That's probably your problem. The filter media is getting clogged.
Prepare some new seawater. Remove some water from your tank and replace it with new seawater, but hang onto the water you remove. Before you discard the old water, take out your filter cartridge and shake it vigorously in the bucket of old water. That should shake loose all the crud in the filter, but you won't lose your bacteria this way.