Quick Filter Question

[Gillette1985]

just done my daily wc to my tank, but this time i've cleaned out the filter. the first time in 4 weeks, Using the old tank water, i squeezed out the sponge part. the sponge was covered in lots of muck and was almost like a slime. would this muck contribute to the ammonia readings i have been getting?? i've been testing around 2-3 times a day, and after around 12hrs after a wc its reading at 0.25

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, its possible in a Fish-In Cycling Situation, such as you're in, for the filter sponge to become so clogged that the water will attempt to "bypass" the filter media, thus not allowing the ammonia oxidizing bacteria to have as much chance to do their job. This can slow the progress of the fish-in cycle. Filter cleans during a fish-in cycle should not be too aggressive however. The bacterial colonies are still delicate.

~~waterdrop~~