HOB Filter Change: Slow and Steady

[RadMax8]

Hey gang,

I'm upgrading from a Penguin 150 to the Fluval AquaClear 50 HOB filter. I'm trying to do it up right, so I've put the ceramic bio material in my current filter to grow a bacteria colony. On to my question:

How long does it typically take to grow a sizeable bacteria colony? Is a week enough time? A month? I want to make sure I'm not disturbing the ecosystem when I change filters.

Thanks in advance!

 

[elephantnose]

I've heard it will take 6 weeks to get a really healthy colony.


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[Fresh2o]

Do you still have the cartridge in the penguin and, if so, how long has it been in there? Even though the biowheel is supposed to contain most of the BB, there is a chance that the BB has colonized the filter cartridge as well depending on how long it has been in there. You could potentially cut up the cartridge and put the floss part in the new AC filter between the sponge and ceramic media.
Space permitting, you could simply run both filters for a while (2-4 weeks) and then discontinue use of the penguin. If you have a test kit for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate then continue testing through this transition period.
I was doing a fishless cycle for a new tank/filter and ran the new filter in the old tank for 9 days using SOME of the old filter's media. I then placed the new filter in the new tank and within 6 days it was processing 4 ppm ammonia in 24 hours. This is an example of how existing media can be used to drastically seen a new filter in a short amount of time.

 

[enrgizerbunny]

Do you still have the cartridge in the penguin and, if so, how long has it been in there? Even though the biowheel is supposed to contain most of the BB, there is a chance that the BB has colonized the filter cartridge as well depending on how long it has been in there. You could potentially cut up the cartridge and put the floss part in the new AC filter between the sponge and ceramic media.
Space permitting, you could simply run both filters for a while (2-4 weeks) and then discontinue use of the penguin. If you have a test kit for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate then continue testing through this transition period.
I was doing a fishless cycle for a new tank/filter and ran the new filter in the old tank for 9 days using SOME of the old filter's media. I then placed the new filter in the new tank and within 6 days it was processing 4 ppm ammonia in 24 hours. This is an example of how existing media can be used to drastically seen a new filter in a short amount of time.

Pretty much said it all.

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[RadMax8]

Thank you for the information. My filter cartridge has been in the filter for about 6 weeks now. I've been scrubbing the flossy material out as best as I can to keep the proper flow through the biowheel (which is why I wanted to upgrade). I think I will keep the ceramic material in the Penguin for a couple weeks, then switch filters and use some of the old cartridge material in the new filter. I will definitely test to see how my levels are.

Thanks again for the info!

 

[BBradbury]

Switching Filters

Hey gang,

I'm upgrading from a Penguin 150 to the Fluval AquaClear 50 HOB filter. I'm trying to do it up right, so I've put the ceramic bio material in my current filter to grow a bacteria colony. On to my question:

How long does it typically take to grow a sizeable bacteria colony? Is a week enough time? A month? I want to make sure I'm not disturbing the ecosystem when I change filters.

Thanks in advance!

Hello Rad...

If you're just putting another filter on the tank, then transfer the filter media to the new Hagan HOB. The AquaClear should accept the filter media from the old filter. There's no need to jump through any hoops to switch filters.

B