New Filter "crossover" Time

[chris_1127]

i asked this at the end of another post recently but it seems to have slipped under the radar so thought id try again. I cloned my 30g Brackish tank into a new 60g tank earlier this week, and set up a "new" (to me)fluval 403 at the same time alongside my existing cannister and internal filters. How long do you think i need to run them alongside each other before safely taking out the old filters? Had a slight nitrite spike at first but back to 0 when i checked last night.

 

[fishing4exotics]

Hi chris_1127, if you already have fish in your 60 gallon tank and the ammonia and nitrites read 0, then you have already cycled your tank. Do you have fish in the tank? If your tank is empty of fish than there is no ammonia or nitrite in your tank.

 

[Marcos]

Hi chris_1127, if you already have fish in your 60 gallon tank and the ammonia and nitrites read 0, then you have already cycled your tank. Do you have fish in the tank? If your tank is empty of fish than there is no ammonia or nitrite in your tank.

Isn't that because his old filters are still running alongside the new one though?
I'm still learning myself, does it take about four weeks to build up bacteria in the new filter?

 

[chris_1127]

yup its fully stocked with the livestock from my 30 - 2 figure 8's, three knight gobies, small GSP, three BBG's and three orange chromides. The existing filters (aquapro 1 cannister and hagen 3000 internal) are running alongside the newly set up fluval 403, so at the moment i assume the existing filters are doing all the work. I just really wondered how long before the new filter is fully colonised and i can remove the old ones.

 

[fishing4exotics]

Did you plant some of your old filter media into the new filter? That will seed your new filter with bacteria and speed things up.

I misunderstood your question. Only way to tell if your new filter is cycled is to remove all the other filters in the tank. Then test your water parameters after a day.

Are you planning on running just the new filter in the 60 gallon?

 

[Inchworm]

Hi chris_1127

It's always best to take your time with it. I would like to give it 3 weeks to be on the safe side.

 

[chris_1127]

i didnt add any old media to the new filter, but did transfer half a bucket of sand substrate when i swapped. My intention is just to run the new filter when its established, yes. I think that the 403 should be sufficient for this tank size at 1200lph, and i am also running an air driven skimmer in the tank.

Thanks Inchworm, think i will give it that time at least then, just to be safe - i dont really want to risk losing any of them (well, no more than theyre already at risk living with puffers anyway )

 

[Jules H-T]

I'd remove the two old filters one at a time, biggest first. Give it 3 weeks as Inchworm suggests, then another before removing the final filter.

Having said that, I have kept an old internal 402 filter in my tank with amongst other things a 404, so I can easily move it to a hospital/quarantine tank if needs be.

I wouldn't say you'd have any problems leaving at least one of the other filters in there, on the contrary, I believe it would benefit the tank.

 

[chris_1127]

Thanks Jules, i did think about leaving one of the filters in there as an extra, but thought that the capacity/flow of the 403 was probaly more than enough for the tank really and am trying to cut down on electricity use as much as realistically/safely possible. Saying that i do have a couple of smaller internal filters that i could probably put one of in the tank, just in case i need to quickly set up a small hospital tank