[AquaticLife] Removing carbon from Penguin filter cartridge
Yes. A full cycle would start with NO nitrifying bacteria and usually takes several weeks to a couple of months to grow sufficient numbers of the various N-bacteria to handle the bioload. A mini-cycle might only take a day to a week, depending on how many of the N-bacteria were saved.
When doing filter maintenance, which is where most of the N-bacteria live since there is so much surface area contained in foam, filter floss pads, etc., it’s important to try and preserve as many of the N-bacteria as possible.
This is even more important in overstocked tanks… a common situation… and in new tanks where the N-bacteria colonies may not have grown to full size.
I have a detailed article about “Filter Maintenance & Cleaning”, that I wrote a few years ago and I have a copy of it hosted on my blog (link on the right side under article titles and also under Labels). I also have a couple of “Filter Profiles” showing each step that I do in cleaning the filter system for a canister filter and an HOB (hang on back) filter.
Category: Philippines Internet Koi Society
