Upgrading Filters - How Long Should I Run Old/new Side By Side For?

loz_the_guru

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Im upgrading from my old internal filter to an external, courtesy of a deal via these very forums.

My question is, how long should I run the two side by side in order to make sure the bacteria transfer from one to the other? Any tips on making the transition as smooth as possible?
 
At least two weeks ideally.


Alternatively you can place the mature media into the new filter with new media but I find this less effective unless the new filter is the same make as you need to cut pads, etc.
 
Im also doing this soon. I have ceramic chips in the internet that I'm putting straight into the new external (and adding as many as needed to fill the drawer too).

There's a 3rd filter that I'm going to run for about a month to give the new external time to catch up, as Im sure that just ceramic chips isn't enough.
 
Running the filters simultaneously will work, but much better is to put all the filter media from your internal into the external and hey presto! Instant filter changeover!!! :good:
 
Thanks guys, bit confused here - is it okay to remove the sponges from my old filter and place them into the new external or not? The sponges in the new filter will be sigificantly larger - will this work okay?

Thanks

Loz
 
yes take all the media from your old filter, pop it into the new one, if the new filter is bigger then fill up the rest of the soace with new media and off you go.

as always with media transfer/seeding tanks there's the possibility for it to go wrong so monitor ammonia and nitrite for the next week and water change as appropriate if you get a little blip, but like 95% of the time this should work perfectly with no issues.
 
What if I half and half it? E.g. put half of the old media into the new filter and leave the old filter running for a week?
 
that will be fine but imo its a waste of media as you will have to put new media in the internal for just a week, which is a waste. take it all out and put it in the external.? what filter have you got? what sized tank will it be running?
 
What if I half and half it? E.g. put half of the old media into the new filter and leave the old filter running for a week?

I don't think it really matters - there's more than one way to do it.


Either run both filters until the new one is up to speed
OR
Move all of the media from the old into the new
OR
A combination of the above


Personally, I'd rather use media that was designed for the filter, so I'm going to run them in parellel for a month or so - but I am moving the ceramic media into the new filter, as they doesn't have a set shape - so its idea to move across. That should also introduce baterica into the new filter to help colonise it quicker.


Now I say that, maybe moving half of the media to the new filter AND running them in parellel is the most sensible option?
 

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