How to avoid nitrite spike after changing fine filter pads

[Kilgore]

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?!

 

[joannde]

A few suggestions (a) rinse the filter pads instead of totally discarding them. You want to rinse them in declorinated water - ie: the water that you've just taken out (b) only change part of the filter material at a time.
That should help tremendously

 

[rich311k]

I agree with joannde. Just rinse them in old tank water. i have gone years at a time without replacing pads. If you feel they need replaced, try replacing them in a rotation instead of all at once.

 

[sherry]

that works for everything but the rena filters. their microfiltration pads just dont wash out well.

 

[Kilgore]

I never change all the media at once. This is only referring to the very fine pads that are next to impossible to rinse, as Sherry mentioned. I can try to extend the life of the pad a little longer but the point of them is to be the final stage "water polisher," which doesn't work well when the pads are dirty.

As for the coarse filter pads and all the biomedia, I just rinse them in tank water, I don't replace them.

Maybe I should keep two weeks in between the time I rinse the other media and when I change the fine pad? It just seems foolish to replace the final filter pad without rinsing all the media that comes before it, you know?

Perhaps these minor nitrite spikes are harmless, just par for the course when changing media. But the fact that I have to change it once a month is the problem. The Seachem tests are ultra sensitive and I have trouble deciding what the values are. I can tell you that the Seachem test detects these minor nitrite levels, but they do not register on the AP nitrite test. So maybe it is nothing to worry about?

 

[Lonewolfblue]

that works for everything but the rena filters. their microfiltration pads just dont wash out well.

I rinse out my micropads monthly and have had no problems. I have both the XP2 and XP3.

 

[Jaybird]

I have the XP3 and I rinse out the sponges and floss every month. I haven't noticed any nitrite spike, but I have a tonne of bio stars and ceramic tubes in there for the bio filter.

 

[Swimmer32]

Maybe the week before you are due to replace them, just hang them in the tank somewhere (preferrably hidden from sight) to give a chance for some of that bacteria to populate the new pads before you put them in your cannister.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

The fine filter pads hold very little bacteria compared to the sponges in the XP filters. And if you have other media as well, then replacing the fine pad should not be any problem. I've replaced mine in the past when it was getting a bit ratty, but until them, I just rinse them out under the faucet, as most of the bacteria is in my sponges and ceramic rings. And I also replace my floss often. And I get no spikes on a heavily stocked tank.