Downgrading filter but lose cycled media

[Sunnyspots]

My tank has an internal compartment to house the filter. The current filter is much too powerful and I bought a less powerful version of the same thing to replace it. The problem is that the less powerful one has only a sponge and no ceramic media, unlike the current filter. If I do a straight swap, having switched sponges, I'll lose that media. The tank has only recently been cycled and now has fish in it.
I could put the ceramic media in the bottom of the compartment so it is still in the tank and it might get a little bit of flow through it that way. Do you think that might work? Will its presence in the tank be enough?

 

[Lajos_Detari]

Did you buy a water pump or an internal filter?
If you buy an internal filter, you can put anything inside - sponge or ceramic rings provided they can fit into the internal filter.

Usually when you changed to a lower power filter, the compartment will be smaller.
If you want to reuse all the media, you may need two filters.

If the ceramic rings are outside the filter, then it's not useful.

 

[Sunnyspots]

Did you buy a water pump or an internal filter?
If you buy an internal filter, you can put anything inside - sponge or ceramic rings provided they can fit into the internal filter.

Usually when you changed to a lower power filter, the compartment will be smaller.
If you want to reuse all the media, you may need two filters.

If the ceramic rings are outside the filter, then it's not useful.

Thank you. I'm guessing 2 filters will just create lots of turbulence again. Perhaps I'll have to give it a go with sponge only and just keep a close eye on water parameters. Even if it isn't doing anything helpful, the ceramic media will keep its BB if I leave it in the tank, won't it? Then I could always change back to the original filter if necessary.

 

[Lajos_Detari]

Thank you. I'm guessing 2 filters will just create lots of turbulence again. Perhaps I'll have to give it a go with sponge only and just keep a close eye on water parameters. Even if it isn't doing anything helpful, the ceramic media will keep its BB if I leave it in the tank, won't it? Then I could always change back to the original filter if necessary.

If the ceramic media is kept outside the filter, it's not very useful.
Probably the BB will be reduced since there is not enough food.

By the way, too strong filter is bad but you don't want it to be too slow. Usually I aim for a flow rate of about 4-5 times the tank size per hour. Example: if the tank is 20 gallons, I aim for about a flow rate of 80-100 gallons per hour.

Sometime I like to have two filters as I can ensure that there is no dead spot in the tank.
I like to use two smaller filters(lower power) filters than a single powerful filter.
But if your tank is small, a single filter will be more than enough.