Filter Upgrade

[rayner17]

Hi all,

I've just started my tropical tank and im looking to upgrade my filter. How do i change it over or do i need to run both for a while?

Hope this dont sound to silly.

Many Thanks

 

[arobinson1984]

Hi,

You can either run both together for about 6 weeks or alternatively and probably the better option would be to take all the filter media out of the old filter and put it into the new one.

Sometimes you may have to cut up the old media a little to get it to fit in a new filter.

Is it sponges?


Andy

 

[rayner17]

Hi,

You can either run both together for about 6 weeks or alternatively and probably the better option would be to take all the filter media out of the old filter and put it into the new one.

Sometimes you may have to cut up the old media a little to get it to fit in a new filter.

Is it sponges?


Andy

ya it is sponge. The tank is only 2 weeks old.

 

[arobinson1984]

You'd probably be better waiting until the cycle has finished before changing the filter.

Are you actively cycling the tank?


Andy

 

[rayner17]

ya i left the tank for a week then added 5 female guppys and 1 male, i have tested the water with a low reading of nitrite and nitrate and ph of 7.5. but the KH and GH are very high.

 

[OldMan47]

Those sound like good parameters for guppies Rayner. The low value of nitrites should be less than 0.25 ppm and the value of nitrate should be less than 20 ppm. My own guppies thrive and reproduce freely at a pH of 7.8, a hardness of about 12 degrees. A bit more mineral content and a bit lower pH should not cause any problems at all.