I have an Emperor 400 on my 75G planted. I honestly am a bit lazy about changing the filters, my tank is pretty clean usually. So I haven't looked at the filters in two months. I checked them a couple of days ago, and whoa! They're nasty! Surprise!
I pull both filter cartridges, take them to the sink, and give them a good cleaning. I then put them back into the tank.
Two days later, today, I have ammonia in the tank. Bah! What was I thinking cleaning BOTH cartridges! It's a well planted tank with a Sand substrate, I would have expected it to not 'mini-cycle' because of the filter cartridges, but it has.
The water is slightly cloudy, the ammonia is below .25 but above 0.
I'm very annoyed with myself for not thinking of this possibility when I cleaned the filters.
From now on, it's clean ONE side at a time.
Just sharing in case any of you might be saved by my ignorance.
I pull both filter cartridges, take them to the sink, and give them a good cleaning. I then put them back into the tank.
Two days later, today, I have ammonia in the tank. Bah! What was I thinking cleaning BOTH cartridges! It's a well planted tank with a Sand substrate, I would have expected it to not 'mini-cycle' because of the filter cartridges, but it has.
The water is slightly cloudy, the ammonia is below .25 but above 0.
I'm very annoyed with myself for not thinking of this possibility when I cleaned the filters.
From now on, it's clean ONE side at a time.
Just sharing in case any of you might be saved by my ignorance.