Rinse the pad in the water you remove, but blast the filter under the tap so everything stuck to it goes down the sink. The good bacteria are in the pad, as long as they aren't destroyed you are A OK :0)How much water should i change when i do my water changes in a 10 gallon tank.?If you're doing weekly 25% water changes, your intake shouldn't get clogged. You want to use a gravel vacuum to remove the junk under the gravel along with the water. Do not change the filter media, (%26quot;pad%26quot;) at the same time you change the water. Do it in-between water changes, and clean the actual filter, or rinse it under tap water.
Remember to add water conditioner to the new water before you add it back to the tank, unless you have well water.