Filter Swapping

[gems]

Hi everyone.

We have had our cycled tank fully stocked for about a week or so now, and everything is going well. We have noticed however that since stocking, our ammonia readings are sticking at 0.25 and we cannot seem to get them back down to 0 anymore. After doing some research we discovered that our filter, which was sold with the tank, is not quite powerful enough to cope with the tank capacity. Its a Rena Filstar 1 and we should really have the next one up to that.

Anyway, we have bought another more powerful filter to replace it. Unfortunately our lfs didn't stock the next Rena model so we bought a Fluval 2 Plus which was recommended for the size tank we have. Now we have a problem with keeping our bacteria colony. We thought that if we cut the filter sponge in our established filter in half and put half in the new filter and run them both in the tank for a while, it will help establish the new filter without killing our bacteria colony. Will this work? Has anyone done anything similar? Help would be greatly appreciated

 

[Edge]

Also, will running two filters together 'over-filter' the tank? Can anyone point us in the direction of an article on over-filtering and why it's a bad idea? Or is it not such a big deal? Thanks for any help

 

[Qays]

Over filtering is good! As long as there isnt a gushing current and will blast the fish around.

You could take out all of the media from the old filter and remove the old filter from the tank entirly. Then add the old filter media into the new filter. Instant cycle as no bacteria will have moved.

Your method will also work. You can divide the media between the filters and run them together for 2weeks, then remove the old filter.

But, transferring all old media is the easiest, quickest and most "reliable" way to do it.

Your way would be good if you were cycling a filter for another tank altogehter.

 

[Tolak]

I would swithch the media from the old filter as suggested, & put the new media in the old filter. Any of the new media that doesn't fit in the old filter can be put in the new filter as well. This way you can let the old, smaller filter cycle & have it available for a smaller quar or med tank if needed. It's easy to pick up a small tank & heater on short notice, nearly impossible to pick up a cycled filter.

 

[bobbicus]

Gems i had the same problem AND bought the same "extra" filter

i turned the rena filstar down to lowest output and placed the fluval in the tank on low - at the beiginning as time passed i turned this up

also wash the clean fluval pads in old tank water first

after 3 or so weeks i removed the rena and the fluval can cope with up to a 90 litre tank (as long as the tank is not overstocked)!!

thats what idid and nothing has gone wrong!!

hth?!!
rob

 

[gems]

Thanks everyone, your advice has been very helpful

 

[Edge]

Yeah thanks everyone. I do have one last quesiton that I think Gem forgot to mention - Our old filter medium is a tall cyclinder shape, whereas the new medium is two seperate recantacles. Do we just chop up the cylinder and force it in there, or do the two vastly different shapes cause us a bit of a problem? Cheers.