Is there a better way to clean it? (I live in a condo...no hose)

Do you have a Python? If not, get one. You'll be glad you did.

I cleaned my Flourite in the tank, with a Python. Just put the Flourite in the
tank, filled it up with water, swished it around a little, then vacuumed out
the suspended silt. Fill with water again, and repeat.

Flourite will never be perfectly clean, and it's okay. You might want to fill
your filter with cheap polyester floss for the first day or two, since the
media will get very dirty the first day or two. But even if the water looks
like chocolate milk at first, it will settle and clear out quickly.

Don't clean it *too* much. You reach a point of diminishing returns, where
cleaning the Flourite generates more silt than it removes.



Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/