Question About Power Filters

[alarmguy66]

I recently changed the filters (dual) in my power filter and within 2 days had a nitite and nitrate spike. Now I also added 3 lbs of live rock (test purchase) after the change of filters. These things might be unrelated in causing the spike or they may have built upon each other.

Do you think bacteria will colonize the old filters in such great quantities to affect the nitrite balance? Was adding the rock and changing the filters at nearly the same time a REALLY bad idea?

This is one of those things I never really thought about until I started seeing the after affects.

I seek your wisdom.

 

[Smonkey15]

if you took out ALL of the filters in your power filter then you probably threw away a good percentage of the bacteria that breaks that stuff down. you should only change part, or in your case half at a time to preserve some of the bacteria. also, the live rock probably needed to be cured also which means that it will cause an ammonia spike which then means a spike in nitrite/nitrates too. in a couple weeks you will probably be ok again, but for the future don't change all your filters at once and cure the live rock before putting it in the tank. both will affect your levels, unfortunatly you did it all at once!
steve

 

[dralarms]

I normally only change 1 of my filters at a time, say change one this week and then wait until next week to change the other.