Light is the key word here. Remember, the newly born nitrobacters that have developed in the final phase of the nitrogen cycling process are an essential part of building your aquarium's biological filter base. These beneficial bacteria live on all surfaces in the aquarium, and as they mature and multiply, they are what keep your system in balance. At this stage you do not want to strip them away and weaken their numbers, so here's what can be done.
- Clean off the inside tank walls.
- Remove any organic waste that has settled on the bottom of the aquarium by lightly siphon cleaning the "surface", and only the "surface" of the substrate.
- Remove organic matter that has accumulated inside and around rock formations. This can be done by either squirting water into these areas using a turkey baster, or simplier yet, use a small powerhead. It's a great way to easily dislodge the gunk that gets trapped, releasing it into the water colume where it can then be removed through filtration.
