New External Filter

[Acetone]

Hi
I'm just after a bit advice. I have an established tank that is over 3 years old. I have a new tank that is in its infancy (1 month) using a hood filtration system. I have heard good and bad thing about them and decided to go out and buy an external filter which can more than hadle my new tank. I have set the external filter up on my old tank running alongside my old internal filter. Ok and now to the question. How long would I need to leave the external filter running in my established tank before it would be able to unplug my hood filtrations and have my external one take over?

Thanks

 

[techen]

You dont your old filter has all the bacteria inside it to proccess the ammonia needed in the tan therefore your new filter has nothing to work with and will not cycle. I suggest removing the interal, adding the media to the new filter and let it run.

Sorry for my bad english, my phone sucks xD

 

[raptorrex]

You dont your old filter has all the bacteria inside it to proccess the ammonia needed in the tan therefore your new filter has nothing to work with and will not cycle. I suggest removing the interal, adding the media to the new filter and let it run.

Sorry for my bad english, my phone sucks xD

It's clear enough for me, and very good advice it is too!

 

[Gilli]

you could run them alongside each other if you wanted to but it would take roughly the 6-8 weeks for the new filter to fully cycle before you could run that alone. As Techen said you can remove some media from your old filter media and put it into your new filter which will cycle it faster and keep a good eye on your water stats on both tanks.

 

[Acetone]

Thanks Guys always great advice on here. Yeah 6-8 weeks is a bit long as my old tank is leaking and wanted to get all the fish out and into the new tank will take the sponges out of the internal and get as many as possible into the external. let it run for a week or 2 checking the water quality

 

[fluttermoth]

If you're moving the fish as well, move them at the same time as you move the filter media.

 

[Acetone]

all the sponges from the internal fitted snuggly into the external which is nice. the internal filter is now out of the tank. I will be moving the fish over slowly as the hood filter is fully cycled now. but don't trust it to be able to cope with all the fish. so will move them species at a time and give a a couple of days between adding more fish. then move the external over with my scaleless fish