HELP: Proper Filter Changing Procedure

[saltynoob]

I have searched the archives but cant find what I am looking for. I have a power filter that hangs over the back of my 20g and the filter in it is gunked up with I am sure good and bad stuff. Do I clean it out? Change it out to a new one? I think I recall someone indictaing that when you change out your filter you are to use R/O and the old filter in a bucket, trying to transfer the bacteria from old to new.
HELP hehehe :help:
Tank Setup:
I have 20lbs LR, 20 lbs LS for my filtration as well. Tank parameters have been steady for the last week. Nitrate, Nitrite and Ammonia 0, KH 10, PH 8.4.
I have 1 peppermint Shrimp, 15 hermits only in tank so far.

 

[sly]

If you have a bio wheel then don't clean it... if not then remove the filter media and replace it with new. Only use RO water for topoff.
Do you know what model filter you have? How much live rock do you have in the tank?

 

[saltynoob]

I have 20 lbs of live rock and 20 lbs of live sand.
The filter is a Aqua-Tech 10-20 Power Filter made by Regent.