Learned something about return pumps today

So I finally moved my fish from the old 30G to the new 55G and when I was cleaning the old return pump I noticed there was a "filter" inside it. It was caked with crap. I never knew it was in there. That would explain the diminishing flow from the return. So what do you guys do? Leave them in or take them out? If you leave them in how often do you clean them? Needless to say I cleaned both of mine today the one in the old tank and the one in the new. Even the new one had a bunch of crap in it already.

The fish seem to be enjoying the extra swimming room.

 

Mine doesnt really have a filter on it, but I still take it apart and clean it fairly often.

 

I don't use any filters to restrict the suction side of the pump. If it has one it goes in the parts closet with the rest of the useless stuff. If anything I use a coarse strainer just to keep things like snails and big stuff out without restricting flow.

 

+1 here...no restrictions on the pump intakes.