filter change on almost tank

[missgingersnap]

Ooops. The title should read....filter change on almost cycled tank. lol Anyway, I have a 10 gallon tank that is on the brink of being fully cycled. I do a partial 25% water change everyday and the nitrites go down to between 0-.25 Usually back up to around .25 the next morning. I had to rinse the filter out the other day because it was pretty gummed up and the water wasn't going through properly. It's beginning to fall apart too and smells kind of bad. If I change it will it mess with my cycle and can I squeeze this filter into my new 48 gallon that I'm trying to do a fishless cycle on? Thanks guys!

 

[missileman]

If you absolutely have to replace the filter.
Empty the carbon from it or cut the cloth off and tuck the old cloth in behind the new filter, this will help keep as much biomaterial going as possible.
You can remove it after things settle down.
PS: what did you do with the tank water you rinsed the filter in? (you did use tank water right?)
I would have dumped it in the back of the filter on the other tank you are cycling.

 

[missgingersnap]

Thanks missileman. I rinsed it in tank water from my water change and I dumped the water in the new tank but not in the filter. oops! I'm such a newbie! lol

 

[missileman]

Thanks missileman. I rinsed it in tank water from my water change and I dumped the water in the new tank but not in the filter. oops! I'm such a newbie! lol

That's fine, you didn't hurt anything