filter cleaning during cycle

[GMazzle 83]

Hi everyone,
I'm new to the hobby and my tank has been cycling with live fish in it. So my question is should I clean the filter during the cycle?
Thanks,
G

 

[seangee]

What type of filter is it?
If its a HOB, internal or sponge filter and its visibly mucky you can rinse the sponges in the old tank water when you do a water change. Otherwise just leave them be. If it a canister no need to open it unless your flow is visibly reduced - and it shouldn't be yet if you are still cycling.

 

[GMazzle 83]

What type of filter is it?
If its a HOB, internal or sponge filter and its visibly mucky you can rinse the sponges in the old tank water when you do a water change. Otherwise just leave them be. If it a canister no need to open it unless your flow is visibly reduced - and it shouldn't be yet if you are still cycling.

Perfect.
I thought I was doing wrong by cleaning it. Its a submerged sponge filter by aqua el.
Thanks a mill for clarification.

 

[Metalhead88]

I agree.

Do not clean the filter unless gunked up or flow is reduced.

How is the cycle going?

 

[I nEEd mEnTAl HeLP]

Cleaning the filter is to prevent gunk build-up. If you are still cycling, I doubt your filter has been clogged up enough to need cleaning.

 

[GMazzle 83]

Cleaning the filter is to prevent gunk build-up. If you are still cycling, I doubt your filter has been clogged up enough to need cleaning.

Thanks for that.
Cycle is frustrating, so much info and different ways of doing it.
My tap water has high nitrate levels so this is a constant battle.
My water parameters as of this morning are,
PH 7.4
AMM .25PPM
NO2 0PPM
NO3 between 10-20ppm hard to tell the difference on this colour chart.
My tank is 105L with dark gravel and sand substrate live plants and rock. I added a catappa leaf 3 days ago because I thought it would be bennificial to fight ph and for natural medicinal purpose. Any other advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
G.

 

[seangee]

No need to mess with the pH - that's perfectly fine for most fish. The catappa leaf is unlikely to make any difference
NO3 up 20ppm is OK - when you can't tell if its 20 or 40 you definitely need to change.

 

[I nEEd mEnTAl HeLP]

Thanks for that.
Cycle is frustrating, so much info and different ways of doing it.
My tap water has high nitrate levels so this is a constant battle.
My water parameters as of this morning are,
PH 7.4
AMM .25PPM
NO2 0PPM
NO3 between 10-20ppm hard to tell the difference on this colour chart.
My tank is 105L with dark gravel and sand substrate live plants and rock. I added a catappa leaf 3 days ago because I thought it would be bennificial to fight ph and for natural medicinal purpose. Any other advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
G.

Your ph will be fine for most fish. As long as you keep it stable, I wouldn't worry much about it. The catappa leaves probably won't do much for ph though. Once your nitrates are more than your source water, you know your tank is cycled, or partially cycled. Nitrate levels are debatable, I would personally do a water change at 20 ppm but thats because IMO nitrate is an indicator of other things, the stuff itself isn't harmful at 20 ppm(again, this is debatable in some ways).

 

[GMazzle 83]

No need to mess with the pH - that's perfectly fine for most fish. The catappa leaf is unlikely to make any difference
NO3 up 20ppm is OK - when you can't tell if its 20 or 40 you definitely need to change.

Thanks for that

 

[GMazzle 83]

Thanks for that

I'll keep on going as long as it takes, but I'm afraid of over maintaining it and wiping out any good is in there and the cycle starting all over again.

 

[GMazzle 83]

Your ph will be fine for most fish. As long as you keep it stable, I wouldn't worry much about it. The catappa leaves probably won't do much for ph though. Once your nitrates are more than your source water, you know your tank is cycled, or partially cycled. Nitrate levels are debatable, I would personally do a water change at 20 ppm but thats because IMO nitrate is an indicator of other things, the stuff itself isn't harmful at 20 ppm(again, this is debatable in some ways).

Thanks for that.
I think I'm gonna get an ro system to help with the nitrate problem. Should help with that battle.
Cheers.
G

 

[Tez_20]

Thanks for that.
Cycle is frustrating, so much info and different ways of doing it.
My tap water has high nitrate levels so this is a constant battle.
My water parameters as of this morning are,
PH 7.4
AMM .25PPM
NO2 0PPM
NO3 between 10-20ppm hard to tell the difference on this colour chart.
My tank is 105L with dark gravel and sand substrate live plants and rock. I added a catappa leaf 3 days ago because I thought it would be bennificial to fight ph and for natural medicinal purpose. Any other advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
G.

Leave your ph alone as it's a nice steady reading, ph being moved up and down does more harm to fish they need it to stable for when you do add them.

My hexagon tank is only 5 gallon but it's in to it's 2nd week. you need to keep track on a weekly basis make sure your ph stops like that all the time and when your tank shows no ammonia, nitrite and levels of nitrate below 20ppm then your tank should be cycled.

Do you have fish in your tank because if so doing water changes helps them.

 

[GMazzle 83]

Leave your ph alone as it's a nice steady reading, ph being moved up and down does more harm to fish they need it to stable for when you do add them.

My hexagon tank is only 5 gallon but it's in to it's 2nd week. you need to keep track on a weekly basis make sure your ph stops like that all the time and when your tank shows no ammonia, nitrite and levels of nitrate below 20ppm then your tank should be cycled.

Do you have fish in your tank because if so doing water changes helps them.

Hey Tez,
Have 10 neon tetras and they are happy out. I had a panda garra too but I lost him a few days ago. I joined this forum to urgently try to help but was a lil too late. Ph is the same reading since I started testing so it won't budge I think. My water source is high on nitrate at between 10-20ppm colour chart is hard to differ. 0nitrite and I think the ammonia is between 0 and .5 so slowly getting there.
Tax.
G

 

[Tez_20]

Hey Tez,
Have 10 neon tetras and they are happy out. I had a panda garra too but I lost him a few days ago. I joined this forum to urgently try to help but was a lil too late. Ph is the same reading since I started testing so it won't budge I think. My water source is high on nitrate at between 10-20ppm colour chart is hard to differ. 0nitrite and I think the ammonia is between 0 and .5 so slowly getting there.
Tax.
G

Hi G, are you using test strips if you don't mind me asking as i've never had them but they not accurate API master test kit is great, when you say your 10 neons are happy out, do you mean you've removed them?
No leave your ph on a nice steady level my ph is 7.6 in this new tank for a betta as it's my 4th and my large 60 gallon the ph is 7.8 constantly steady.

Keep weekly readings as it can take up to 8wks for a cycle to finish it's down to the filter system..i've added 2 guppies to help mine establish better.

If you look at what i've done since starting up you'll get what i mean but do you have any fish in at all?

New 5 gallon hexagon tank started cycling for a Betta fish

Well while in lock down so depressed and with every ones gorgeous bettas, my hubby went and fetched me an Hexagon tank plus he knows what systems i like, it was up and running on the 1st May, everything washed and brought an heater for betta and the temp is at 79.4F and got a new silk leaf...

www.fishforums.net

 

[GMazzle 83]

Hi G, are you using test strips if you don't mind me asking as i've never had them but they not accurate API master test kit is great, when you say your 10 neons are happy out, do you mean you've removed them?
No leave your ph on a nice steady level my ph is 7.6 in this new tank for a betta as it's my 4th and my large 60 gallon the ph is 7.8 constantly steady.

Keep weekly readings as it can take up to 8wks for a cycle to finish it's down to the filter system..i've added 2 guppies to help mine establish better.

If you look at what i've done since starting up you'll get what i mean but do you have any fish in at all?

New 5 gallon hexagon tank started cycling for a Betta fish

Well while in lock down so depressed and with every ones gorgeous bettas, my hubby went and fetched me an Hexagon tank plus he knows what systems i like, it was up and running on the 1st May, everything washed and brought an heater for betta and the temp is at 79.4F and got a new silk leaf...

www.fishforums.net

I'm using the same test kit as you, api master kit. The tetras are in the tank and loving it, swimming around happily. I am going to get some clean up crew to help keeping the gravels clean but then ill wait until the cycle finished to add more fish.
What do you think?