Confused about a filter issue.

Aug 13, 2011
51
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www.betrsoutlets.com
#1
I had a question about my filter. Now i know the filters that come with a kit setup isn't all that great. However mine has been running for about 2 weeks now. I really want to get a better filter becaue in the long run, i want my fishes to be more satisfied. Now the question comes to should i wait til the cycle is over to get a new one, but at the same time the bacteria needs to be in there, and with a new filter i would have to start all over ! any suggestions? so sorry if it is a dumb question.
 

MdngtRain

Large Fish
Jan 9, 2011
288
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New England
#2
If you let this one run thru the cycle, you can leave the media in the tank while you are starting up your other one. I personally wouldn't switch ot the filter so soon after starting the cycling process so you don't interrupt it just yet. But im not really that knowledge about this stuff, just rather be on the safe side. While your current filter may not be the best, if it came as a kit with the tank, it can carry you through the cycling process. Are you doing a fish-in cycle? Or fishless? If it's fishless, it doesn't really matter as much, the process will just take longer. If you have fish in there already, I'd wait with changing it out.
Just for info, what do you have and what are you planning on changing it to? What's your tank like (size? planted or not? Fish you have or planning to have? Current parameters?). All helpful info to give when asking for advice :)
 

skjl47

Large Fish
Nov 13, 2010
712
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Northeastern Tennessee.
#3
Hello; If you get a new filter, you may be able to run both at the same time for a while to give the bb (beneficial bacteria) time to colonize the media in the new filter. Some suggest hanging some of the old filter material in a mesh bag in the tank when changing to a new filter. The bb will be on many surfaces in the tank. I think that bb tends to colonize the filter media, perhaps in greater numbers than other spots, is because the flow of the water carries organic material into the media where it decays. Some have posted about doing a fishless cycle by throwing a raw shrimp into a new tank and allowing it to rot to produce the ammonia to feed the bb. I have not tried this method as it seems likely to smell. The bb need some ammonia to feed on, from fish or some other source. My take on it is that the bb will be on a lot of surfaces in an established tank, but only in a population that can be feed by the respiration byproducts of the fish, snails, plants, decaying organic material and such.