Fluval 206 External Filter

[C6ckneyGeezer]

First off, hello to all. I would like to ask for some help and advice if possible.

My setup is as follows. I have a 6 month established Rio 180, live planted with around 12 bushy plants, covering the back of the tank. Along with some bog wood and moss balls. I do, without fail, weekly 50L water changes.

3 Hatchets
1 Graoumni(spellcheck)
3 Neons
5 Glowlights
4 Guppies
2 Mollies
3 Plattys
1 Ancest' Plec'
4 Corries

Using the API droplet testing kit.

Amonia is at 0 ppm
NitrAte is at 10/20 ppm
NitrIte is at 0 ppm
PH is at 8.2

Now I am running the standard internal filter and would like to upgrade to a Fluval 206 External. I have a couple of questions.

1) 180 litre tank. I am planning on the 206 but would the 306 be better or overkill?
2) Do I need to run the Fluval at the same time as my current filter for a while. Or put some of my media in the new Fluval?
3) How often do I change certain media in the Fluval? With my current filter I change the top white pad each week and green and black every 2 months. Wash the blue ones out in tank water every month.

Any help much appreciated!

 

[lil_phelpsy]

hi im not sure on the size of the external filter but i would recommend running both for as long as possible until the new filter is established or put as much of the old media in the new filter.
also i wouldnt recommend changing your filter media so often when you replace it your getting rid of the good bacteria your building up in your filter just clean it out in a bowl of aquarium water and only replace when its literally falling apart and no longer usable.
person thoughts hopethis helps

 

[CezzaXV]

If you can get all the media into the new filter, there's no need to run the old one alongside it. That would be a bad idea actually as the bacteria will spread themselves evenly and when you eventually remove the old filter you'll be taking away half of the bacteria and your tank will only be half cycled.

With any filter, you don't need to change media until it's physically falling apart. If you have any floss/sponges which are "polishing" the water you can change/clean them when they stop working as well as they should, as long as it doesn't make up a massive percentage of your media (so you're not losing a lot of bacteria).

 

[tribalbrit]

Buy the biggest filter you can afford. You can not over filter the tank. 40 - 50% water changes would also be better.

I have filter media that is 10+ years old and still works fine, although it does look a bit black.

Mine are both fluvals and very good although others will tell you different.