Help my filter stopped working!

[New_b0401]

So I came home to my 10 gallon filter had stopped working no idea why everyrhing else is fine and its brand new but for what ever reason it did. This is fairly new tank only housing a betta and a couple plants. I had wanted to switch it to a sponge filter anyway so I had one on hand and it is now hooked up my question is how do I save what little bio filter I have. It hasn't gotten dry as there was still water in the filter. So I have it sitting in my tank on top my sponge filter (bc I didnt know what else to do with it). I hate to have to restart the entire cycle my betta is currently not in the tank bc I had to move around my substrate (flourite) to place the sponge filter in the tank and the waters foggy.

So my two questions after reading all that haha
How do I save my bio filter? (or what little of it exists).
And
Is it safe to put my betta back in the tank while the waters still cloudy or should I wait for it to settle?


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[Hummingguppy]

You could take out the filter media, and put it in the sponge filter with the sponge, if it fits. Then, in a couple of weeks, the bacteria will be in the sponge too, and you can take the filter media out. But it might not fit.

 

[New_b0401]

No I don't think it well sadly):

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[jbib1089]

If you can't take out your bio media from the old filter you are kinda out of luck. You can help seed the sponge filter with a dirty filter pad from the old filter. Just keep testing the water you may need to do some extra water changes until everything levels out.

 

[New_b0401]

I can remove it but I don't know what to do with it now that its out. Its just currently sitting on tip of my sponge filter. But I'm not sure how to put it in the sponge filter?

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[jlk]

The simplest reason for a filter to stop working is something lodged in the impeller. I would check this first. If its truly dead and everything is new, I would return it for a replacement. This way, you can help seed the new sponge filter by running both filters for a few weeks together. If this absolutely is not an option, the best thing would be to place the old media on top of or in close proximity to the sponge filter and keep a close watch on your parameters.

 

[Tommy10]

My HOB did this once during a WC so I just dumped out the water in it down the toilet and rinsed part of it out with tank water in the bucket I had just filled and it started working again.

 

[New_b0401]

Thank you everyone I will try and see what works

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