Pre Filter Causing Mini Cycle?

[JoeyGeeze]

Hi guys, I have a question...

I have a Filter Max Pre Filter sponge on my intake of my canister filter. I use it so my kuhlis don't get sucked up my filter again. Problem is, I'm noticing that when I clean it (squeeze it in a bucket of tank water) I seem to have a problem afterwards. Two weeks ago, I cleaned it and ended up getting a slight ammonia spike afterwards. Today I squeezed it during my water change and I'm now getting traces of nitrites in my water. Shouldn't my canister filter carry most of my beneficial bacteria? If I don't clean that sponge regularly it will reduce suction on my filter. This is frustrating because I don't wanna harm my fish because nitrites can be very harmful (bad enough i have ICH) Anybody that has had experience with a sponge on their filter intake? Thanks!

 

[Laser]

I don't believe that a pre filter sponge can harm your bacteria colony in your canister. Did you use any medications for the ich?

 

[Cichlid Kid]

Yes. Your prefilter sponge may have had enough BB in it to cause a minicycle once removed.

 

[Cornstar]

How would you avoid this then? Usually when I squeeze my prefilter, I remove a lot of dirt, waste, poop and more.

 

[JoeyGeeze]

Nope no medications at all for the ICH, just heat. For whatever reason, I feel like all my BB is colonizing on that sponge so when I squeeze it out in the bucket I lose a lot.

Good question Cornstar, idk how to avoid this. Maybe only clean that sponge when I don't do water changes, so it's not too much at once? Not sure though. I'm going to test in the AM and hope my levels are back to normal.

 

[jetajockey]

How long has this tank been running?

 

[JoeyGeeze]

How long has this tank been running?

The tank has been up and running for a little over 3 months, the first month was for my fishless cycle. I think I've had the sponge on for about a month or so.

I just tested my nitrites this morning and I'm now showing 0, which is awesome. But, last night I was reading .25 or a little higher. I use the API liquid test kit.

 

[jetajockey]

I think it'll be less of an issue as the tank matures, I run several prefilters and never see an issue after thoroughly cleaning them.

 

[JoeyGeeze]

I think it'll be less of an issue as the tank matures, I run several prefilters and never see an issue after thoroughly cleaning them.

I sure hope so! I'm afraid to touch the thing now lol. Do you clean yours weekly? I assumed a weekly rinse would be OK, next time I probably won't squeeze them though, just a quick dip in the bucket.

 

[Daxhua]

Assuming your not cleaning the sponge filter in tap water instead of tank water then I agree with jetajockey about the tank needing to mature. Everytime I go to clean my media fiters my tank doesn't go into a minicycle. Not even when I had a larger bioload and was cleaning the filter media twice a week. Don't stop cleaning your sponge filter as needed to matain good water flow because that will cause a spike in ammo, and nitrite. I've read that Prime is good to add to your water if you have a small spike in ammo or nitrite.

 

[JoeyGeeze]

Assuming your not cleaning the sponge filter in tap water instead of tank water then I agree with jetajockey about the tank needing to mature. Everytime I go to clean my media fiters my tank doesn't go into a minicycle. Not even when I had a larger bioload and was cleaning the filter media twice a week. Don't stop cleaning your sponge filter as needed to matain good water flow because that will cause a spike in ammo, and nitrite. I've read that Prime is good to add to your water if you have a small spike in ammo or nitrite.

Yea i rinse it in tank water. You're probably right, the tank is still new so things aren't stable yet. At this rate, with all the things that have gone wrong I'm hoping to make it to 6 months! LOL. I'm thinking that going forward, I'm only going to clean the sponge on days I DON'T do water changes, so it's not too much at once. Thanks for the tip on Prime!

 

[jetajockey]

I actually clean my prefilter sponges weekly, usually in straight tap water (water source is fairly low in chlorine), the potential bacterial dieoff on the sponge doesn't seem to affect the tanks at all though. It'd make more sense to clean them in old tank water, I just don't happen to have a bucket laying around during WC's usually.

 

[Coursair]

I actually clean my prefilter sponges weekly, usually in straight tap water (water source is fairly low in chlorine), the potential bacterial dieoff on the sponge doesn't seem to affect the tanks at all though. It'd make more sense to clean them in old tank water, I just don't happen to have a bucket laying around during WC's usually.

Me too. I rinsed mine in tap water today. I do it weekly at least.

 

[JoeyGeeze]

Darn it, what am I doing wrong here LOL. I guess it's just because my tank isnt mature yet. I think it was a combination of the water change, gravel vac, and rinsing the sponge... It was too much at once.