How To Change Filters?

[Dubfellas]

I currently have a aqua one sponge filter and a small internal filter (that was from my 24L tank) running in my 125L tank. I have ordered a eheim 2010 internal filter to replace both of these so I can free up some space in my tank. My question is how best to go about phasing the other filters out. Should I leave them in the tank alongside my new filter for X amount of days or weeks? How would I best get bacteria from old to new filter as I don't think I cud fit any of the old sponges from the old filters in to my new filter? I've never done anything like this before and don't want to kill my Fishy's so hopefully someone can help me out with this. Cheers

 

[fish+peace]

firstly i would examine the old media and the new - if you can fit all the old media into the new filter even if it means cutting it then i would do that and you can just remove the old one and continue with the new This way you are continuing with the same biological/mechanical capacity as before so there is no extra load on it.

If it won't fit in then keep the old one running for a couple of weeks which should have give the new one enough time to build the necessary bacteria to cope.

Do you have a water testing kit, this way you can keep an eye on the PH, amonia, nitrate and nitrite levels before and after

 

[techen]

May I suggest that running both filters is not the best of ideas. If your filter is already coping with the bacterial load then this leaves nothing to kick start the other filter. It would remain uncycled for a long time. As stated above cram the old media into the filter as best you can