How quickly do bacteria live...

[Danny Boy]

If you're performing large water changes, or other maintenance that involves switching off/removing/cleaning your filter...how long do you have to do it?

Plus, doesn't cleaning a filter or replacing the sponge kill all the bacteria we have worked so hard to nurture?

I'm worried about the water change I'm planning to do just before getting fish to lower nitrates...the last thing I wanna do is kill everything off when I've just spent 3 weeks helping them along!

Any tips/obvious pitfalls/things to avoid?

 

[clunkster]

when cleaning any filter media carefully wash it out in used tank water remove any large bits of muck you should not need to change any of your sponges yet but if you do only change half of the sponges (you cut them in half) that way your not removing all the helpfull bacteria your filter can be left on while doing a water change providing it wont run dry if it will then switch it off (what type of fillter are you running) fillter bacteria start dying off after a while but should be ok while you do water change. while your drawing water off the tank make sure heater stays below water level

 

[scuba_jez]

just a quick question

why does the heater have to stay below water level?

 

[Danny Boy]

I believe...that has air heats faster than water and your heater probably has a thermostat, your heater will burn itself out and pop nicely if it doesn't stay covered.

I trurn mine off while I'm messing around in there...another tip got from this board.

 

[Blade118]

Could someone help me plz

I got about 3 plants in my fish tank so far, i two if these plants have like string, green stuff between leaf to leaf
What is it
How can i get rid of it