Pente85Camino

I started a 10 gallon tank on 09-May-2009. It had completed the cycle (fishless, piece of fish) on 27-May-2009 (0Am, 0Ni, 10Na). I left what was left of the fish in the tank. I did add 1ml of 10% ammonia (from Ace). The levels have started going back up (1Am, 0.5Ni, 10Na). What I mainly need help with is that the changeable filter (the actual "floss") has turned black. I do not know why this has happened (or why it happened so fast). Is it ok? The tank does have black gravel, but it was washed 10 times before it was added to the tank. The filter did not look like this a week after I started the tank. No, I don't check it everyday, but I might on the next filter until this does not happen.

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Moe Jacob

Filters can get pretty "cruddy" ... I would put a bit of water from the tank in a container and gently rinse the filter in that "old" water ... just to get the big stuff off ... discard the old water ...

I think you will be fine ... you can rinse your substrate 1 hundred times and still get particles for a while ...

Just remember, you have colonies of good bacteria on that filter that you do NOT want to loose at this point ...

Is that the only media (ie: floss) in the filter? You should only replace media a bit at a time to conserve the good bacteria ... For example, my filter has some floss, balls, sponges, etc ... and I only replace one thing at a time at least one month apart.

Welcome to Fishlore!

Pente85Camino

Thanks!!!

Well, I have had another filter just siting in the tank. Do you think I should just go ahead and start using that or just rinse with some tank water?