Best way to upgrade filter

[Rangerbob86]

I know there are already some threads on this, but I just want to be absolutely sure that I do this right. I would hate to make a mistake and have something go wrong. I have a 20 gallon tank with a topfin 20 filter on it. Now that I'm putting more fish into the tank, I want to upgrade the filter. I am planning on getting the AquaClear 50. What is the best way to switch them out? I was thinking of either running them both at the same time for a few weeks, or just shoving the old filter media into the new AquaClear 50 (I don't plan on using the carbon, so there should be some extra room in there). Is either option better than the other? Or maybe something else I didn't think of?

If the best solution is putting the old filter media into the new filter, do I do the black sponge and the white filter? Or just one of them? You can see the sponge and filter that come with the topfin here: http://tinyurl.com/ll7m52s. Another interesting thing to note is that my topfin is currently setup like picture one on that link, even though the claim is that picture 2 is correct. Not sure if I've been doing it wrong this whole time...

Any help is appreciated!

 

[Bloodroot]

I would personally leave both of them running in the tank, even after your new filter has been in there for a while. I have two filters running in my tank atm. But that is only an opinion... I have no facts to base it on.

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[Airborne173x]

Run them both, that will help transfer the good bacteria to your new filter. You can keep the combo going or leave the AC50 and decommission the old, either works. More filtration is never a bad thing!


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[BBradbury]

Filter System Change

Hello Rang...

The Hagen AC50 is a bit too large for a 20 G tank. The AC30 is less expensive and will easily do the job. A filtration system is just a backup for keeping the tank water a bit cleaner between water changes. The water change is the real filtration. If you change half the tank water every week, you don't need to overfilter the tank. The filter is just moving water that's already clean.

If you want to use the AC50, then just transfer the media from the first filter. Add a bit of new media to fill the new filter. You don't need the chemical medium (carbon). The water changes will take its place. Keep the bio filter media on top. Add fish very slowly, so the good bacteria can grow to keep up with added wastes the new fish will produce.

B

 

[Fresh2o]

I think either method (run both filters or transfer media) will work fine.
I did a bit of both in my last fishless cycle: I transferred some media from an established filter into a new filter, ran the new filter in the established tank along with the existing filter for nine days and then put the new filter in a new tank. Dosed the new tank to 4 ppm ammonia and within SIX days it was converting the ammonia within 24 hours.
In my 20g planted tank I run two AC50s. One has the standard setup (sans the carbon) and the other is floss only and for CO2 circulation. Yes both tanks are over filtered and as mentioned in the prior post, it is no substitution for water changes.

 

[joejeff]

What's the flow rate on the ac50? I doubt it is too big. Moving the old media to new filter is always an option if you don't want to run two filters. But running g two is a good option.

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[Fresh2o]

What's the flow rate on the ac50? I doubt it is too big. Moving the old media to new filter is always an option if you don't want to run two filters. But running g two is a good option.

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I believe it is 200 gph (measured with no media, brand new).

 

[joejeff]

I have ran 10x b4 with no issues.

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[Slade]

I run an AC70 on my 20 gallon tank.
I use it to grow out cichlid fry, so I was looking for extra water movement.

There's never too much filtration, but you could have too much flow depending on your fish. See above - no amount of filtration replaces the need for water changes.

 

[joejeff]

There are ways to disrupt or defuse flow if you need still water for certain fish.

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[MICEY]

I always run 2 filters incase 1 stops working you can never have to much filtration, and the filter is needed unless you plan on daily water changes it prevents high ammonia and nitrite levels , fish don't like the levels jumping up and down once a week
and it is good to have an extra cycled filter incase you need to set up an other tank in a hurry,(fry, sick fish, new fish)

 

[BBradbury]

Tank Filtration

Good tank filtration has a turnover rate (gph) roughly 4 times the volume of the tank in gallons. A 20 G needs no more than an 80 gph filter. The Hagen AC 30 has a gph of 150. Roughly twice what's necessary to run the tank. This is plenty provided you're not a member of the "Water Change Slackers' Club".

If you're just changing a few gallons a week or a month, then you better have multiple large filters, to keep the tank water even close to safe conditions for the fish.

However, if you change large amounts of tank water weekly, then you don't need an expensive filter system. It's just moving a lot of water around the tank that's already pure. Seems like a waste of money, but if you have deep pockets, then absolutely buy large, muiltiple filters.

B

 

[Rangerbob86]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. I think I will let them both run for a while, and maybe eventually I'll get rid of the first one, or maybe ill leave it in there.

 

[Mebbid]

Good tank filtration has a turnover rate (gph) roughly 4 times the volume of the tank in gallons. A 20 G needs no more than an 80 gph filter. The Hagen AC 30 has a gph of 150. Roughly twice what's necessary to run the tank. This is plenty provided you're not a member of the "Water Change Slackers' Club".

If you're just changing a few gallons a week or a month, then you better have multiple large filters, to keep the tank water even close to safe conditions for the fish.

However, if you change large amounts of tank water weekly, then you don't need an expensive filter system. It's just moving a lot of water around the tank that's already pure. Seems like a waste of money, but if you have deep pockets, then absolutely buy large, muiltiple filters.

B

How does more filtration reduce the amount of nitrates in the water?

 

[schoeplein]

By increasing the quantity of available water from additional filters, it reduces the ppm rate of nitrate buildup. Doesn't reduce nitrate, just reduces its impact.

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[Mebbid]

By increasing the quantity of available water from additional filters, it reduces the ppm rate of nitrate buildup. Doesn't reduce nitrate, just reduces its impact.

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An average HOB filter holds what? 1 quart of water? 2 - 3 quarts for a large HOB? 1 quart of water in a filter for a 20 gallon tank is 1/80th of the tank volume. In 40ppm of nitrate that's a 0.5ppm decrease in nitrate. That's such a small amount that it's not even worth mentioning.

 

[schoeplein]

I don't use HOB's. Too noisy, not really worth more than the bacterial filtration and surface agitation. My canister is about 5 gallons, or an ~8-9% increase in water. Coming from saltwater, I kinna wish my current tank had an overflow and a 20g sump...

 

[Mebbid]

I don't use HOB's. Too noisy, not really worth more than the bacterial filtration and surface agitation. My canister is about 5 gallons, or an ~8-9% increase in water. Coming from saltwater, I kinna wish my current tank had an overflow and a 20g sump...

Not many people use those enormous aqua top canisters (I do) but that does make more of a difference. The refugium on my salt water tank was amazing, but I just don't think it would work anywhere near as well on a fresh water tank. There's just too much bio load for it.