How Long To I Keep My Old Filter Running Along With The New One?

[sylros]

My original filter is a TopFin 10 (never liked this model)...my tank is 10gal...it came with it. Anyway one day I noticed that there wasn't any water coming out, thinking it was dirty, I cleaned it...still the same result. So, having read about the Penguin filters, I went a picked one up cheap - definitely creates a heck of a lot more current for one! So, it's been running ever since alongside the old one --yeah with perseverance, I practically took it apart, discovered the pipe was totally clogged.

My question is, how long before I can stop using the old filter as it creates way too much currant in the tank...I'm thinking that 2 weeks wasn't enough because I've started to have problems with my PH, it's much higher, and can't seem to get the ammonia down either...I did a 50% water change yesterday, that's when I got those results. I also just got rid of the breeding tank for my guppies as they are now big enough to fend for themselves - hence the water change - ammonia was high again.

Any thoughts?

PS - The tank was setup on last July 12th.

 

[CezzaXV]

If you take all the media out of your old filter and put it in your new one, you won't need to run your old one at all.

 

[sylros]

I've always been curious about what is meant by filter media...as these don't use the same filter cartridge. There's no sponge collecting the bacteria...it just gets dirtier and dirtier until it totally clogs up...that's why I got one with a Bio-wheel but it takes a while to build up. Or is it as simple as transferring the water inside the old filter into the new one. These are external type filters. I thought to have both running as my old one always seemed inadequate and it had clogged up bad, so having both running helped clear my tank. Also, I read that it takes 7 weeks for a filter to establish itself...I can use the coke bottle thingy to reduce the currant.

BTW - took a reading PH 7.8, Ammonia .05 or less. So things are settling. I hesitate to do another water change as I've done many these past few days...50% 2 nights ago, 90% 2 nights before that. I've also added Ammo chips to the new filter as there's a chamber just for that...will that help at all to keep the ammonia down? LFS recommended it and to not change the water so much...

Also, how does one tell if there is too much flow...Although the shrimps love it, is it harmful to the fish?

 

[cynic]

I'm not sure about the bio wheel bit and any filter that uses cartridges alone you may as well bin as you will never cycle the tank.

Much as it sounds odd i think your best bet would be to clean all the gunk from the old filter into the tank and let the 'bio wheel' collect it. That may speed things up.

As to water changing, if the ammonia isn't 0 then you gotta do it again. Ph is meaningless without knowing your tap water ph too. Nitrite and nitrate numbers would help a lot with knowing whats going on. If your sig is your stock list then you will need to keep on top of the filter as that seems a lot of fish and not obvious tank mates for a 30 something litre tank, but thats just me.

As to the flow, the danio's will love it the cory's wont be so keen but it wont hurt them so long as they aren't blown around all the time. Imagine being in a windy street all the time.

 

[sylros]

I'm not sure about the bio wheel bit and any filter that uses cartridges alone you may as well bin as you will never cycle the tank.

Much as it sounds odd i think your best bet would be to clean all the gunk from the old filter into the tank and let the 'bio wheel' collect it. That may speed things up.

As to water changing, if the ammonia isn't 0 then you gotta do it again. Ph is meaningless without knowing your tap water ph too. Nitrite and nitrate numbers would help a lot with knowing whats going on. If your sig is your stock list then you will need to keep on top of the filter as that seems a lot of fish and not obvious tank mates for a 30 something litre tank, but thats just me.

As to the flow, the danio's will love it the cory's wont be so keen but it wont hurt them so long as they aren't blown around all the time. Imagine being in a windy street all the time.

Coincidently, the tank was so messy with big chunks floating when I first put in the new filter, and my poor Java Moss collecting most of it, that that's what ended up happening. BUT I can still do that, I don't mind as the new filter will clean it up in a couple of hours. If I do that, can I then remove the old filter?

Thanks for confirming that I needed to make a WC, although it probably would be a big one...I got all confused because of the LFS who told me to not do that as it would eliminate too much of the bacteria therefore affecting the cycling and making things worse. Well, from what I've read here...you make WC until you get to 0...in my mind the bacteria is in the filter and substrate.

As for the flow, you're right the Danios love it but I think not so much the guppies...did you ever notice your fish resting on some of the plant leaves or the bottom when you turn the lights out...is that normal...maybe they're exhausted from fighting against the currant? Oh and the cory's are fine for the most part, as the back of the tank seems to get less disturbance, they tend to hide behind the driftwood and in between the plants. They don't like bright lights either. Where there's the most currant, the shrimps are usually there!

So you find that I have an odd assortment of fish? The only purposeful selection was with the cory's and oto catfish...the rest were either given to me, like the guppies, as babies, or they've been used to cycle the tank - danios. I was told (by another LFS) that my tank still could accommodate more...like a mid-range fish such as a dwarf gourami. What do you think? I thought I was maxed out!

Now have 9 baby guppies of various ages, oldest being only 6 weeks old, others a week. I do have another small tank that the babies will be moved to as soon as it is cycled enough. I'm reusing some of the original fish to cycle this tank, watching it very very closely...is that better than getting new fish?

 

[BigbruiserAl]

If you cant transfer media your looking 6 weeks min and then when you take the old on out you will need to watch feeding and water stats as the newer filter expands the bacteria which takes about a week

 

[sylros]

If you cant transfer media your looking 6 weeks min and then when you take the old on out you will need to watch feeding and water stats as the newer filter expands the bacteria which takes about a week

This is the first time that I hear about bacteria expanding. Could explain what you mean? How will I know that it's expanding, will it be visible?

 

[BigbruiserAl]

well you will 2 filters in 1 tank so each filter will have 50% bacteria. you take the old one out and the newer one will still have 50% for a few days untill the bacteria expand and grow upto 100%

 

[sylros]

I'm not sure about the bio wheel bit and any filter that uses cartridges alone you may as well bin as you will never cycle the tank.

Much as it sounds odd i think your best bet would be to clean all the gunk from the old filter into the tank and let the 'bio wheel' collect it. That may speed things up.

As to water changing, if the ammonia isn't 0 then you gotta do it again. Ph is meaningless without knowing your tap water ph too. Nitrite and nitrate numbers would help a lot with knowing whats going on. If your sig is your stock list then you will need to keep on top of the filter as that seems a lot of fish and not obvious tank mates for a 30 something litre tank, but thats just me.

As to the flow, the danio's will love it the cory's wont be so keen but it wont hurt them so long as they aren't blown around all the time. Imagine being in a windy street all the time.

Well, turns out this was also recommended by the LFS...but said to rinse the old filter in the tank. Yikes, what a mess that will be. Also, apparently I'm overfeeding my fish, hence the big mess and all my other troubles. I'll do these things today and lower my food quantity. Will let everyone know how it goes.

 

[CezzaXV]

My old filter used cartridges and it was no different or more difficult to cycle than any other filter.

Don't wash it out in the tank, take some tank water out, wash it in that and then pour the water away.

 

[cynic]

My old filter used cartridges and it was no different or more difficult to cycle than any other filter.

Don't wash it out in the tank, take some tank water out, wash it in that and then pour the water away.

You must have had some bacterial store in there apart from the cartridge surely.

 

[CezzaXV]

My old filter used cartridges and it was no different or more difficult to cycle than any other filter.

Don't wash it out in the tank, take some tank water out, wash it in that and then pour the water away.

You must have had some bacterial store in there apart from the cartridge surely.

Nope, just three cartridges and the sponge over the intake. I put the cartridges in my new filter (my plan was to cut them up but I managed to get them in there whole) and managed to get the sponge over the intake and it carried on processing just as it had before. The only reason I changed it was that I wanted more flow in my tank. Should I ever need to set up a quarantine tank, I intend to take the cartridges out and set this filter up again.

 

[sylros]

My old filter used cartridges and it was no different or more difficult to cycle than any other filter.

Don't wash it out in the tank, take some tank water out, wash it in that and then pour the water away.

All is well! The tank is now solely being filtered by the new filter. The water chemistry is stable. Having cleaned the old filter before, I knew that it was going to take some vigorous shaking, and I didn't feel comfortable to do this in the tank. It would have stressed the fish and displaced everything in the tank. So, coincidentally, I rinsed it in new water as there was a bit of ammonia in the old water. Then it was poured into the tank. My poor little fishies....they couldn't see anymore. LoL...but just as I predicted, within a couple of hours this amazing Penguin filter cleared it up. The filter cartridge though...it clogged up...so I rinsed a bit off, put it back and now it runs smoothly.

Thanks for the recommendation guys/gals.