Filter Pump Changeover

[Auntsally]

Hi. I have in the last few days bought a vision 260 ltr tank which was already well cycled and with a very few fish. The tank and factory fitted filter were in a really gungy cond. so decided to buy a fluval 305 external pump (having cleaned the tank thoroughly. ) The overhead pump in the internal filter is dodgy but decided in the interests of the fish to run with that and it's filter material in it;s original condition and also use the fluval as I didn't want to put these fishes in my other tanks. When will it be safe to stop using the internal and only use the external?The sitting tenants are : 2 clown loach, a keyhole cichlid, two gold sucking loaches, what I think is an indian marbled loach but not sure and an eel like loach that dashes round and then vanishes. All still healthy and lively and would like to keep them that way! By the way all levels are showing 0 apart from the ammonia which is 0.25 according to my test kit. Thank you anybody who can advise me .

 

[kj23502]

I've never used an internal before, but is there any chance you could put the media from that into the external. Then you'd keep your cycle....but it looks as if you may go through a mini cycle? keep an eye on your ammonia and do water changes as needed to keep any ammonia or nitrite below .25ppm. I added nitrite b/c I feel chances are if you're seeing ammonia now you may very well see nitrite in a little bit

 

[Auntsally]

I've never used an internal before, but is there any chance you could put the media from that into the external. Then you'd keep your cycle....but it looks as if you may go through a mini cycle? keep an eye on your ammonia and do water changes as needed to keep any ammonia or nitrite below .25ppm. I added nitrite b/c I feel chances are if you're seeing ammonia now you may very well see nitrite in a little bit

Humm..I floated the new sponges in my other mature tank for 24 hours before assembling the ext. filter but it uses different medai from the juwel one.. The gravel etc. is the original mature stuff so the intake pipe should be dragging bacteria in from that I think. Will do a water change asap today re ammonia. Thanks

 

[kj23502]

Humm..I floated the new sponges in my other mature tank for 24 hours before assembling the ext. filter but it uses different medai from the juwel one..

It would be better if you could squeeze the sponge into the new filter then. I don't mean shove it in .... LOL, I just re-read it and it sounded wrong....I mean squeeze to drip the water into it, or swish the media around in it if possible, something along those lines.

The gravel etc. is the original mature stuff so the intake pipe should be dragging bacteria in from that I think. Will do a water change asap today re ammonia. Thanks

Filters keep like 85% or so of the bacteria. If that's not exact, I know it's a VERY high amount. Very little is actually in the rocks and decor.

 

[iankent]

When I changed I just moved both of the pads from inside my internal to one of the middle trays in my external - instantly cycled, not had any ammonia/nitrite spikes or anything either!

 

[Auntsally]

When I changed I just moved both of the pads from inside my internal to one of the middle trays in my external - instantly cycled, not had any ammonia/nitrite spikes or anything either!

Thanks. That would be simpler. Different size but could push in for a while. Thanks for all the help folks