How To Protect Filter During Water Change - Help

[manofish123]

I'm about 5 days into a fishless cycle. Looking ahead at what will be the big water change to reduce nitrates, what are your opinions on protecting the Filter and those items in it that are suppose to be building bacteria during this water change ?
I would assume that one would want to just place the whole thing including the sponges in the same bucket that the expelled tank water was being put in and then placed back in the new conditioned water once its full ?
Thanks in advance for your help ........

 

[Staxx]

i dont remove mine. i just turn it off to stop it circulating the tap water. turn it back on after i dechlorinate the tank

 

[Essjay]

You don't need to bother removing the filter, just take the water out then fill it back up again. If you are worried about the bacteria dying when the water level drops, they won't unless you leave the tank and go and do something else for several hours before refilling. The few minutes that the filter will be exposed won't harm your bacteria.

 

[Aqua Tom]

Just turn it off, then on again after wc.


Tom