How Often Should I Clean My Filter

I've had a problem with my filter, all my own fault and sadly lost several fish because of it.

I have read differing advice on how often to clean the filter and wondered what the correct length of time in between cleaning

I go quickly bit longer (about a month or two) but do find that I struggle with nitrates if I go much longer than this. I am very fortunate to have very low (almost zero) nitrate tap for water though.

One thing to note here though, which may well be especially useful to others that land on this page, is how to clean a filter... this should be done with gently squeezing/swishing the filter sponge it in tank water removed during a water change (or chlorinated fresh water) so there is nothing present which might harm the biology of the filter. Cleaning a filter does not also involve changing the filter media (with the exception of some specialist chemical media's inactivated carbon). If your biological filtration is done by ceramic rings, the equivalent is a rinse and 'jiggle about' in old tank water.