Filter Change Issues

[LadyViper]

Everytime I change my filter, my water goes icky for a week or so about a week after the change. It's almost like the water is cycling again, and it bugs me. I don't know how to prevent it, but after it happens the water looks crystal clear. Is it because I have goldfish (or goldfish related fish)? Do you think it would help at all if I float the old filter in the water for a week, while the new filter is getting it's bacteria built up? Any suggestions would be appreciated, I am changing the filter tomorrow or Sunday.

[NortH]

In essence, it is going through a cycle again... the filter holds quite a lot of the bacteria for the biological filtration, and that is just being completely taken out of the system.
I used to float the new filter for a week before putting it in to service to help get it going.

I have also doubled up on filters before and when it was time to change, I would just take out one, the dirty one, leaving a clean one with a great bacterial count behind to do the filtering.. and just keep up the routine.

It all depends on the type of filter you are using, which you never mentioned in your post.

I ended up adding a fluidized bed filter - that way there is always an excellent biological filter ready and willing to do the job.

~NortH~

[LadyViper]

I don't know what filter I am using now, I know that is sad. During a power outage a few months ago, I lost the good filter and had my husband pick up one on the way home from work. I will have to get back there and look. I am still using the same filters that I was with the old one, but I have to modify them to make them fit. At the time he brought it home, I just needed to get a filter going in there, and ripped open the box like a madman. The power was off for 2 days at that time, and the poor things had been without any filtration for a total of 3 days. They were surviving on partial water changes, and very little food. It was supposed to be a temporary filter until I got to go pick out a new one, as this one was pretty cheap. It has worked pretty well, so I have kept it. Is a week of floating the new filter sufficient? I just changed it last week, and now it is finally getting back to normal in there. When I went to bed last night, the water was almost crystal clear.

[Jay]

I have read a number of posts here concerning Cycling, Bacteria in Filters, Cloudy Water, Bacteria in General etc. which lead me to believe there is generally some confusion about the Nitrogen Cycle.
Not to mention a lot of misinformation.

For instance; “yucky cloudy water” after a filter change has nothing to do with the necessary nitrifying bacteria, it is a different bacteria which is feeding on the nutrient rush generated by agitation of the filter material when removing it from the filter. Gold fish are major detritus (fish poo) generators and unless the aquarist keeps up with meticulous housekeeping (vacuuming and water changes) the white water bacteria will bloom, with green water algae close on there heals.

The purpose of Cycling is to allow the two distinct colonies of beneficial bacteria to establish themselves. The first colony eats Ammonia and give off Nitrites as waste. Fish in the tank produce ammonia waste (urine). Fishless Cycling…easy just add ammonia and not fish. The second colony of beneficial bacteria eat Nitrites and give off Nitrates. THESE BACTERIA COLONIZE THE WHOLE TANK, attaching themselves to everything. A tank is cycled when tests for nitrites and ammonia read “0”. A tank can be cycled without a filter! If you want a colony in your filter, buy a bio wheel or put special bio-material in the filter separately and let it colonize. It never has to be removed except to maybe occasionally be swished out in the tank water.

I know this is a very basic response, IMHO the forum needs a thread on Cycling and then a reference sticky.

Regards,
Jay

[LadyViper]

I do vac about once a month, and I do a 50%-75% water change once per month. Should I be doing this more? Should I be doing a bigger water change? I usually alternate between 50 and 75% every other month. I never do a 100% water change, should I be?

[Jay]

Hi Lady!

Goldfish right?

IMHO 50% weekly is where I would go and vacuum the bottom.

Why

Your TDS is going to be through the roof after a month.
The fish waste on the bottom will very quickly become toxic and could overwhelm your biofilter. Which I think is already happening to you on power outages days.
Sooner or later you are going to be plagued with either a white bacteria bloom or Green Water which is worse.

Just my .02

Regards,
Jay

[LadyViper]

Jay your a GENIUS, I love you already! The tank itself doesn't have a green or white problem, but the filter last change was disgusting green and slimy. That was about 2 power outages ago, or about 2 weeks ago...lol I will def start doing the substrate vac weekly, thanks to you. That could possibly be my whole filter change issue. Prior to the last filter change, I had at least 2 lengthy power outages. I didn't even think about it, but I should have probably used the vac during one of the power outage water changes. I will def keep that in mind for future reference! Thanks a ton Jay!

[britnewt3]

You might want to look up info. on the filter it may help the filter could also not be the right size for the tank.

[headlessblade]

i use aquaclear 500 filters... all u gotta do is rinse the sponge and put it back ... so there is no need to re-cycle the tank...

[fishboy]

I heard you are not supposed to rinse or clean the sponge??
Jay, can you confirm? This is what my instructions say.