Re: Will rinsing my filter with tap water kill the bacteria?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
waters10
And you never had ammonia/nitrite spikes? Did you keep track of that right after you do that?
If you don't get spikes, it might be because you're overfiltering. Either way, if the instructions say that, it's definitely wrong ...
I wash mine in tap water too, but usually only 2/3 filter pads so as to keep at least 1 pad full of bacteria. Never get ammonia spikes either, and i am overfiltering a little bit.
Re: Will rinsing my filter with tap water kill the bacteria?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
acroken
I have been washing sponges out under my tap for many years and never experienced any ammonia spike.I do not use buckets because i do not want to cross contaminate. If you only have a few tanks i could see using buckets to clean filter and keeping that bucket just for that tank, but if you are running many tanks it seems ridiculous to have 15 or 20+ buckets around just to clean filters. IMO it is best to have more then one type of bio filter in each tank and rotate your cleanings, do not clean both filters in the same week. I do clean my breeders sponges in small 1 gal buckets but mostly because i like to see how much waste is washing out.
Kenny
:cry: OMG I have washed my filter under tap water and now I have a ammonia spike i have changed the water twice now, yesterday and then the next day i put in the prime and stabilizer the water ammonia still hasn't changed to 0ppm its like a tint of greenish yellow. its a auqua one
Re: Will rinsing my filter with tap water kill the bacteria?
I have well established tanks and the BB is like tooth plaque "tough". I've been rinsing sponges for years under chlorinated tap water with no issues, no spikes and no mini cycles. I would not do the same with a new set up. It only takes weeks to cycle a tank but it takes months (lets say 6) to become well established.
Re: Will rinsing my filter with tap water kill the bacteria?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
bluelagoon
I have well established tanks and the BB is like tooth plaque "tough". I've been rinsing sponges for years under chlorinated tap water with no issues, no spikes and no mini cycles. I would not do the same with a new set up. It only takes weeks to cycle a tank but it takes months (lets say 6) to become well established.
I do the same without problems About once a month I break down the hanging filters and wash with tap.