Changing filters over

[Negseven]

Hi, my fluval u3 filter is playing up So I have bought a Eheim aquaball 180 and running it in tandem so I don’t crash the tank, any idea how long I will need to leave it in tandem before the new filter gets populated with beneficial bacteria? thanks….

 

[Slaphppy7]

I'm not familiar with either of these filters, but generally speaking, you should be able to maintain the cycle by moving the filter media from the old filter to the new one, and then just use the new filter

 

[Negseven]

Not as easy as they are different shapes and I really want the new material in the filter to get matured…

 

[Slaphppy7]

How long has the tank been set up?

 

[Negseven]

4 months

 

[Slaphppy7]

Let them run simultaneously for at least a month...I'd still try to move at least *some* of the media...you can break/cut it up w/out harming the BB

 

[Essjay]

I once had a Hagen Trio filter which had a long thin rectangular sponge and a compartment with ceramic noodles. I changed to a Eheim Aquaball. All I did was cut up the sponge into pieces to make it fit the baskets and crush the ceramic rings into pieces small enough to fit. I then left them there for a month then changed one of the baskets to Eheim media, waited a month then changed another basket and so on till I had all Eheim media.

 

[Negseven]

Thanks for idea