waterdrop
Enthusiastic "Re-Beginner"
Personally, during fishless cycling, I always feel that if something (like the filter slowing in your case) gives you enough excuse to do a water change or a filter clean and you do it then, despite a slight pause in processing, the end result will usually be the overall situation getting better, and sometimes a lot better (which is when we call it a kickstart, lol.)
As far as the bacteria go, if there's fresh oxygen and ammonia and the pH is ok, then they'll come right back and be happy and usually the filter clean or the water change will lower some of the nitrates and nitrites and fresh water may provide some new calcium and iron. Now all of this of course is better in the later stages of cycling, after the colonies are a little less fragile, and a filter clean at any point during a fishless cycle needs to be very gentle, definately not a major wring-out of sponges! And the recharge of ammonia and optionally of bicarb must not be forgotten.
~~waterdrop~~
As far as the bacteria go, if there's fresh oxygen and ammonia and the pH is ok, then they'll come right back and be happy and usually the filter clean or the water change will lower some of the nitrates and nitrites and fresh water may provide some new calcium and iron. Now all of this of course is better in the later stages of cycling, after the colonies are a little less fragile, and a filter clean at any point during a fishless cycle needs to be very gentle, definately not a major wring-out of sponges! And the recharge of ammonia and optionally of bicarb must not be forgotten.
~~waterdrop~~
. Hope this is the beginning of the end.
. Anyway, could this be the start of my qualifying week?
