NEW FILTER......OLD FISHTANK

by **hectek** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 4:20 pm

OK...TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT. I BOUGHT A NEW FILTER BECAUSE I FELT THE ORIGINAL ONE WAS TOO WEAK.....SO WHAT I'VE DONE IS...IM LEAVING BOTH FILTERS RUNNING IN MY 10g TANK FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS TO SEED THE NEW FILTER....BUT HOW LONG DO I WAIT.....BECAUSE I REALLY DONT WANT A MINI CYCLE, BECAUSE OF MY BLUE RAMS BEING SO SENSITIVE.. A SPIKE WOULD BE A DEFINITE DEATH....IM HESITATING TO MOVE ANYTHING......SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP.....
AND PLEASE I NEED AN ANSWER FROM SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN THROUGH THIS.....

by **Alasse** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 5:20 pm

I would leave the old filter running with the new for at least 4 weeks, preferably longer. Especially if you want no mine cycling

by **hectek** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 6:46 pm

IS THERE A SAFE WAY TO SWAP FILTER MEDIA FROM OLD TO NEW FILTER.....IF SO WHAT ABOUT THE "BLUE GRID" (not sure of the name) in the filter....i heard thats where the majority of the beneficial bacteria is......(this is confusing)

by **Alasse** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 2:59 am

If the old media will fit into the new filter just put it in and run the new filter with it (and of course if its larger some newer media also).

Can i ask that you please not type in CAPS, it is considered yelling and not polite :)

by **snostorm** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 7:00 am

the substrate will help establish the filter too so I wouldn't worry to much

by **yasherkoach** » Thu Nov 25, 2010 3:55 am

still need to water test for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate & ph (low or high) or no matter how much old media you may put in the new filter, if the ammonia is too high to start with, it will overwhelm the old media (good bacteria) and it will take much longer to cycle

best bet is about a pound or two of old gravel (never vacuumed)...cycling will be sped up much faster...then again, you won't know how well unless you test the water

NEW FILTER......OLD FISHTANK

6 posts