Something I struggle with ... leaving the filter floss and a little bit of the dirt in the box/power filter. I too don't want to do that on gut reaction. However, we're tossing out a lot of "good guy" bacteria that way.

I suppose one should seek a happy medium. Squeeky clean in the filter looks good to us, but may not be the best to the fish.

I go through the same dilemma squeezing out sponge filters. By the time I get around to that, they are heavy, even getting solid with gunk. But I need to either remember to quit squeezing them before they run "clean" or to not feed the tank much the next day or two until the water and fish poop recharge the sponge as a biological filter.

Decisions, decisions! Well, off to change water and prepare for a CKA meeting tonight.