filter media/vacation

[flatty]

Greetings,

I have a 36gal bow front that has been running 8 months or so the stock HOB filter does a good enough job but the cartridge is pretty much end of life. I want to change it because it is falling apart but the problem is I am leaving on vacation in 2 weeks. I will have someone watching the fish but am not sure if they are proficient enough to run water tests/changes. Will 10 or so days be enough to get the replaced cartridge established enough or should i try to get the original to hold together another month?

Also should I change any dosing of flourish/excel and the like while I am gone?

Thanks

 

[BBradbury]

Vacation Tank Prep

Greetings,

I have a 36gal bow front that has been running 8 months or so the stock HOB filter does a good enough job but the cartridge is pretty much end of life. I want to change it because it is falling apart but the problem is I am leaving on vacation in 2 weeks. I will have someone watching the fish but am not sure if they are proficient enough to run water tests/changes. Will 10 or so days be enough to get the replaced cartridge established enough or should i try to get the original to hold together another month?

Also should I change any dosing of flourish/excel and the like while I am gone?

Thanks

Hello flat...

You don't have to change the filtration media or anything else like that. Start feeding your fish a little more and a little more often. A couple of days before you leave, stop all feeding and do a larger than normal water change, clean the filter and rinse the media in some of the old tank water and put it back. You can replace it later if needed.

So, the fish will live off their small fat reserve while you're gone and you come home to a clean tank.

Pretty easy.

B

 

[Brookster123]

Just cut up some pieces off the old filter and stick them behind the new cartridge. That should.seed the new.one by than..

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[flatty]

The old filter is really falling apart. If I stuck the old filter behind the new would it seed enough in one week?

 

[Chaik]

If you have a clean bucket( no chemicals) fill it up with aquarium water and put both in for a while. Be sure to shake up the dirty one. And I'm pretty sure that changing water and changing the filter pads at the same time isn't such a good idea


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[Brookster123]

The old filter is really falling apart. If I stuck the old filter behind the new would it seed enough in one week?

Just leave it in there for a couple weeks or until you're back? Shouldn't impede flow all that much..

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[Mebbid]

Hello flat...

You don't have to change the filtration media or anything else like that. Start feeding your fish a little more and a little more often. A couple of days before you leave, stop all feeding and do a larger than normal water change, clean the filter and rinse the media in some of the old tank water and put it back. You can replace it later if needed.

So, the fish will live off their small fat reserve while you're gone and you come home to a clean tank.

Pretty easy.

B

Except that the problem isn't the build up of nitrate, but instead the problem is a potential ammonia spike if the filter is changed.

Just cut up some pieces off the old filter and stick them behind the new cartridge. That should.seed the new.one by than..

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

+1 that's the best way.

You could also stick the old media in a pantyhose and hang it in front of the filter. It should still work for the nitrogen cycle of you do it that way.

 

[flatty]

thank you all for the information. To be safe I will try to keep the old one in place for vacation. I do plan on getting a canister filter when I return so perhaps it will be best to wait until then.