Kilgore
Aquarium Advice Activist
Hi All,
I have begun changing my fine/micro filter pads on my canister filters every month to 5 weeks now, in accordance with manufacturer instructions, because I find that they become incredibly dirty and clogged in that time. Unfortunately, I have discovered that for the past two months, I experience a minor nitrite spike for about a week after changing the pad. By minor, I mean about 0.5 ppm nitrite or less (very pale pink on the Seachem Nitrite/Nitrate Multitest).
This time it was particularly bad, probably because I had just changed my DIY CO2 containers and the pH on both tanks went pretty low - 6.2 and 6.4, and a low pH inhibits the metabolism of the nitrifying bacteria.
So what's a responsible fishkeeper who wants excellent water quality and clarity to do?!
I have begun changing my fine/micro filter pads on my canister filters every month to 5 weeks now, in accordance with manufacturer instructions, because I find that they become incredibly dirty and clogged in that time. Unfortunately, I have discovered that for the past two months, I experience a minor nitrite spike for about a week after changing the pad. By minor, I mean about 0.5 ppm nitrite or less (very pale pink on the Seachem Nitrite/Nitrate Multitest).
This time it was particularly bad, probably because I had just changed my DIY CO2 containers and the pH on both tanks went pretty low - 6.2 and 6.4, and a low pH inhibits the metabolism of the nitrifying bacteria.
So what's a responsible fishkeeper who wants excellent water quality and clarity to do?!