Removing pods and worms from filter media

[Savas]

I have an Eclipse 6 with a drop-in plastic filter cartridge. The filter cartridge is a blue poly layer over some activated charcoal. I change the filter monthly. Today I noticed the filter is covered with pods and some worms. They have burrowed into the poly filter and won't come out. I do not want to throw them away with the old filter.

Any thoughts other than just ripping the poly filter to pieces and pulling them out with tweezers.

And I know I can post this in the nano forum, but this seems more like a filter question than a tank-size question.

[joeychitwood]

I'd toss the filter into your tank for a few days. The pods and worms will migrate to the substrate, and you will be able to retain the benefits of the pod population.

[Savas]

Will the "bad" stuff in the filter get into the tank?

[riley290]

if you really really wanna collect those guys pull out the filter and put it in some fresh RO/DI. Within seconds to a few minutes those guys should be jumping ship like their life depended on it (cause it does). Then strain the water through a brine net and add.

[Sk8r]

That's the problem with filters. If you could fill that tank with live rock and keep the bio load really, really low, you wouldn't need a filter at all.

[Savas]

Well, that is an excellent idea. I am going to St. Thomas next week and can find some rock I could use. I only have two damsels in the tank and do not plan on adding any more fish. I have several soft corals in the tank and would like to add more.

What would be an acceptable bio-load?