New Filter

[EllieW]

Hi Im just about to buy a new internal filter later this afternoon as the rubbish filter I currently have has almost stopped filtering altogether.

My question is, Do i keep my old filter in there still running, otherwise the bacteria I have built up will be gone.

The sponges are totally different in the 2 filters so I cant simply use the old sponges.

 

[kevin82]

what filter are you changing from and to?

 

[EllieW]

Im not even sure of the make of the one I have now . Looks something like this

http/www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001FVT0H2/ref=s9_simi_gw_s0_p86_t7?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1M3MXY9BTK1YFSG8S5HM&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=467128533&pf_rd_i=468294

Basically is just got one sponge that pulls out.

The new one I want to get is Fluval U3 Internal

 

[Hokum]

Assuming it’s not broken, or something wrong with it I’d run both for about a month to let the bacteria colonise the new filter.

 

[EllieW]

Ok Thanks

Is still has water filtering through it just very slow, even after cleaning it up. Hope it lasts a month

 

[K-Holed]

You could always squeeze the old filter sponge into the aquarium aswell. Also, what's your old filter like? There's usually some way of squeezing a bit of the old filter into the new.

 

[EllieW]

You could always squeeze the old filter sponge into the aquarium aswell. Also, what's your old filter like? There's usually some way of squeezing a bit of the old filter into the new.

Yeah I could see if I could cut some of the sponge off and fit it somewhere in the new filter. Actually thinking about it, I could get some floss out of my other tanks filter and put that in the new filter.

I expect floss would be easier to fit in than sponge, would that be ok?

 

[drobbyb]

If you are replacing the old filter, you can take the media out of it and put it in the new filter. This would instantly cycle the new filter.

 

[Hokum]

I've always just run them back to back, the extra filtration wouldn't hurt.

 

[EllieW]

If you are replacing the old filter, you can take the media out of it and put it in the new filter. This would instantly cycle the new filter.

The problem I have is they use different types of media

 

[Assaye]

You could cut the old sponges down and try to make them flat so that they slot into the U3.

Otherwise run them together for as long as your old filter will hold out. A month should be long enough but I'd run them together for two just in case. If there are enough bacteria in the old filter they'll move really slowly to the new one.