How long to seed a new filter?

[sudz]

Hey guys, I set up a Fluval 304 on boxing day, and i've been running it side by side with my established AC 70. How long until i can disconnect the AC70? The tank is heavily stocked (IMO)

3 redfin rainbows
2 Milleneium rainbows
4 cardinals
4 congo tetras
3 dwarf Rainbows
2 false sae's
1 clown loach,
3 Black Phantom tetra's

Its a 44 gallon Planted.
I also keep the heat fairly high (83*f) I dont know if that would affect things.

Thanks for your input

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I'd run them together for 2 to 3 weeks just to be safe.

 

[Jchillin]

When was Boxing Day (not too familiar with the Holidays up North).

 

[sudz]

Boxing day is the day after christmas (december 26th)

are you saying that you don't have "crazy boxing day sales" etc?

I thought it was a north american thing.

 

[rich311k]

No Boxing Day in the USA. I think its an English thing.

 

[zenkatydid]

you don't have boxing day?! bizarre!

 

[Fishyfanatic]

No. I've never heard of it actually.

 

[SlayerBarb]

haha, i live right on the canadian border, so there's tons of traffic going up to all the canadian boxing day sales the day after christmas...

 

[coldmachineUK]

:O I thought Boxing Day was, well, sorta universal for any place that celebrated Christmas! lol
Boxing Day is, I guess, the Day for Visiting Relatives You've Avoided for the Last Year....least it is here in the UK lol.

Re running the second filter: I'd go 3 weeks to 4 just to be on the safe side, but that's really conservative so you may opt for the lower end of that!

 

[SparKy697]

83 deg seems high to me. Unless some of your fish specifically need that high of a temperature. I just recently discovered that I was running around 83 deg. due to a faulty thermometer, I kind of freaked out over it. I dropped to around 76 deg. and IMO my fish seem to be more comfortable. Their respiration has slowed considerably and they seem a bit more active. I know that cooler water holds more o2, but I don't really know if 7 deg. would make that much difference in the DO in the water though.

Also I believe I have read that just under 86 deg. is prime temp for some nasty things we don't want in our tank, like ich and so on.


In the U.S. it isn't called boxing day but trust me, there are plenty of people running to the stores for sales or to return stuff that they don't want.

 

[7Enigma]

Personally I'd take your AC filter inserts out and squish them in the tank next to the intake of the canister filter. This will speed up the seeding process, and should allow you to remove the old AC filter after a week or 2.

 

[sudz]

thanks for the input guys.

I don't think i can do that with my inserts (squeeze them) See, i KNEW i was getting a new filter, so i haven't really done a media change/cleaning in almost 3 months. It'd REALLY cloud up my tank.

As for the Temp,

I heard rainbows like the low 80's, and i have a clown loach.

All my other fish are tolerant of it. I find colors are MUCH better. I had it down to 78 for a while, My loach(es) was NOT happy with it. I lost 2 of them within 3 weeks. Stressed out i presume.

 

[7Enigma]

thanks for the input guys.

I don't think i can do that with my inserts (squeeze them) See, i KNEW i was getting a new filter, so i haven't really done a media change/cleaning in almost 3 months. It'd REALLY cloud up my tank.

OK, new better idea. If your not familiar with a diatom filter, these are devices that filter out very fine (and large) particles from the water. In order to make this work, you need to "charge" the membrane with a specific powder. Problem is you can't really stop the pump at any time, or else the powder falls off.

So what many of us do is use a separate bucket of water, then charge in the bucket, then drop into the tank. What I'm getting at is you could use a small bucket and put your intake and output lines from your new canister filter into a bucket of tank water. Then take your AC filter inserts and wring them out into the bucket. Let the canister run for a couple minutes, and then move both back to the tank for a couple days.

This would keep the gunk off of your substrate, and seed virtually immediately your new filter. I'd still run it for a couple days to be sure, and then when you decide to switch over exclusively keep your test kits handy.

HTH

 

[O ALX O]

Just out of curiosity... Why not keep both running?

 

[7Enigma]

The canister will give better (finer) filtration and allow for a lot more media (so ability to handle a higher bioload). Less electricity, less clutter in the tank, less outgassing (if this is a CO2 injected tank), etc.

Basically why have both if the canister will suffice?

 

[neilanh]

Here's a newb question about canisters. Can you only use a canister filter if you drill your tank? Everyone says they're better than a HOB, but I don't want to drill my tank. If you do it without drilling, how does the inlet and exhaust connect/attach to the tank (pics would be nice!)

TIA

 

[rich311k]

No drilling needed, that is for a sump or wet/dry filter. A cannister has tubes that run into the tank over the top.

 

[7Enigma]

Here's a newb question about canisters. Can you only use a canister filter if you drill your tank? Everyone says they're better than a HOB, but I don't want to drill my tank. If you do it without drilling, how does the inlet and exhaust connect/attach to the tank (pics would be nice!)

TIA

Here's a pic of my tank during a diatom filter. Notice the intake and exhaust hoses on opposite sides hanging over the edge. That's similar to a canister, but normally the output has a spraybar (imagine a piece of hose with several holes in it, like you'd use to water the grass) so there is less turbulence around the output. You can aim it towards the substrate or surface depending on your needs. There is then no waterfall effect like the HOB, and much less surface turbulence as a result (so much less CO2 loss, but also much less O2 transfer as well during dark hours).

 

[neilanh]

Thanks you guys! Good to know, I never could find anything to show how you hook those up.

I'm not concerned about CO2 loss or anything, I don't keep plants. I have a HOB right now, and I'm not convinced I'm happy with it (new equipment for Christmas) so I'm just considering my options and trying to decide if I do replace it, to go another HOB or a canister.

Thank you again!

 

[7Enigma]

IMO, if you have the $$$, anything over 20 gallons will benefit from a canister. Well any size tank really, but up to 20 they are probably pretty close with filtering ability (minus the very fine particles). I have a heavily planted 20 gallon and have thought of switching to a canister at some point.

Pretty much the only drawback is when you have to clean it out. Our HOB's (especially the AC models) take about a minute to pull out the inserts, wring them out in tank water, and replace. There's no risk of air lock, or a puncture either. But those are rare occurances, and I think the benefits outweigh the negatives.