New Canister Filter

[McCool]

I am in the midst of putting together my new Fluval 306 filter. I already have a very established HOB filter on my 55 g. community tank, and I was wondering if I should just put the new filter on along with the HOB and keep both running until the new filter is established, or if I should find a way to put old media in the canister and take the HOB off. It would be way easier if I could just run both for like a month or two, but would that be okay? The tank is already way established.

 

[Yanks15]

It would be best to put all mature media in the baskets of the canister. What HOB do you have? If it's an Aqua Clear than it would be very easy. If it uses insert type pads w/carbon inside, might be a little harder. As long as you only rinse those out in old tank water, you could cut the floss off of the frame and stuff it in. If you run both, than at best only half of the BB will end up in the canister and when you remove the HOB you may have a minnie cycle. You could always run both and have excellent mechanical filtration too. What is your stocking? How is your water quality? Never hurts to over-filter. Good luck.

 

[McCool]

It would be best to put all mature media in the baskets of the canister. What HOB do you have? If it's an Aqua Clear than it would be very easy. If it uses insert type pads w/carbon inside, might be a little harder. As long as you only rinse those out in old tank water, you could cut the floss off of the frame and stuff it in. If you run both, than at best only half of the BB will end up in the canister and when you remove the HOB you may have a minnie cycle. You could always run both and have excellent mechanical filtration too. What is your stocking? How is your water quality? Never hurts to over-filter. Good luck.

Ill see how much media I can stuff into the new one. Not sure what HOB it is, came with the tank. I had two, but one quit a week or two ago. We were told each was rated for a 40 Gal. tank. I cant run the HOB permanently, because I also got new lights and the HOB creates a little too much splash than im comfortable with! Stocking is shifting as of recently, as im in the process of creating a planted tank and switching stock. Right now, its 2 Rams, 3 Swordtails, 4 Zebra loaches and 3 Giant Danios who have evaded my net. The rest of the Danios are already back at the pet store, just cant catch the 3! Ammonia/Nitrite 0, Nitrate around 40.
The Canister came with carbon, sponges and ceramic bio-cylinders. The HOB filter is crammed with so many sponges and pads im surprised the water gets through. When the other HOB quit, I frantically tried to save my media and surprisingly was able to fit it all in one. I think ill stuff what I can into the canister and then run the HOB a week or two just to make sure. Ill also check my water a little more often.
Am I missing anything?

 

[phantomlink]

If the HoB has the media mentioned above ( biomax, or ehfisubstrat ) then just move it all into the canister. The HOB media already has enough colonized for your tank, throwing it in the canister will make it good to go, and the colony will grow into the new media as well. Make sure to put the main media ( bio max, or whatever is the primary home for your bacteria ) as low in the tank as you can go, so it seeds up the rest of the media as water flows over it

 

[Yanks15]

+1 for phantomlink!

Just make sure you have a course sponge first in line to take out as much solid waste as you can. Hopefully it is a mature one from your HOB but if you DO have bio-max or noodles, bio-balls, or other biological media, the sponge can be new. The BB in the media should be enough to keep it going.

 

[sputnick]

last weekend i had a little emergency, my HOB filter was going out on me!

so i decided to get a canister filter from everything that i read. I had two bags of carbon in my HOB i took those and had no other choice really but to put them in the basket. I didn't suffer a mini cycle at all in fact other from the horrible noise of the HOB and terrible flow, i don't think my fish noticed any change at all

 

[Ruskull]

I'm doing a similar changeover myself to my son's 55 gallon. It has (2) hang on back power filters, an Emperor 280 and a Penguin 200. About a week ago I hooked up a new Rena XP2 canister filter and I'm currently running all three simultaneously. So far so good.

I was tempted to just remove the felts from at least one of the HOB filters, but I didn't want to take any chances since the tank was well established as is. I might try to remove the Penguin 200 later today and see how that goes.