Replacing My Filter
- Thread starter UKSPEED
- Start date
The best way is to put all the media from the old filter into the new one. If you have sponges, you can cut them up to make them fit.
If the old media can't be made to fit, then run both together for at least 4 weeks before removing the old one. Feed the fish lightly after removing it, and keep an eye on your ammonia and nitrite levels for a week or two after.
If the old media can't be made to fit, then run both together for at least 4 weeks before removing the old one. Feed the fish lightly after removing it, and keep an eye on your ammonia and nitrite levels for a week or two after.
Thanks essjay.
My current filter has one sponge and a 'gravel' cartridge. So i would only be able to move the sponge across. Do you think this would be sufficient or would you recommend running them both for a month?
My current filter has one sponge and a 'gravel' cartridge. So i would only be able to move the sponge across. Do you think this would be sufficient or would you recommend running them both for a month?
It depends on what exactly the 'gravel' is. Some filters might have a ceramic medium like little balls, others have zeolite in them, a white gravelly substance. Some have zeolite and carbon mixed together. Does your filter manual say what the 'gravel' is?
If the gravel is ceramic, put it in a mesh bag inside the new filter.
Zeolite is not needed in a filter. In fact it isn't a good thing to have at all. Depending on exactly where it is, before or after the sponge, it can absorb the ammonia before it gets to the bacteria so they don't grow properly. But if zeolite has been in there a while, it will be full and bacteria will be growing on it.
If it was me, and the gravel is zeolite, I would move the sponge over, filling any gaps with the new media that comes with the new filter, and throw the zeolite away. But you would need to keep a close eye on your ammonia and nitrite as you would be throwing some bacteria away and may well have a mini spike. If you do start to see ammonia and/or nitrite, do water changes to lower them until the bacteria catch up.
If the gravel is ceramic, put it in a mesh bag inside the new filter.
Zeolite is not needed in a filter. In fact it isn't a good thing to have at all. Depending on exactly where it is, before or after the sponge, it can absorb the ammonia before it gets to the bacteria so they don't grow properly. But if zeolite has been in there a while, it will be full and bacteria will be growing on it.
If it was me, and the gravel is zeolite, I would move the sponge over, filling any gaps with the new media that comes with the new filter, and throw the zeolite away. But you would need to keep a close eye on your ammonia and nitrite as you would be throwing some bacteria away and may well have a mini spike. If you do start to see ammonia and/or nitrite, do water changes to lower them until the bacteria catch up.
I would definitely not put the zeocarb cartridge into the new filter. You don't need to run carbon full time, and you don't need zeolite at all. But unless you've been changing the cartridge very regularly, you will have some bacteria growing on the 'gravel' inside. Does the cartridge have a fabric-like outer layer? If it does, you can cut it open, empty the 'gravel' and put the bag into the new filter as it will also have bacteria in it.
Once you've put the new filter (with old sponge) in the tank, feed the fish less than usual and keep an eye on the ammonia and nitrite levels every day. Then if you do find some in the water you will need to do a water change to stop either of them getting to 0.25. It's possible you may find they don't go up. Even if they do, the spike shouldn't last long till the levels are back down to zero.
Once you've put the new filter (with old sponge) in the tank, feed the fish less than usual and keep an eye on the ammonia and nitrite levels every day. Then if you do find some in the water you will need to do a water change to stop either of them getting to 0.25. It's possible you may find they don't go up. Even if they do, the spike shouldn't last long till the levels are back down to zero.
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