chaging filter question

[new2betas]

I know I have asked this question before, but I can't find the post anywhere. In my established 10g tank (the one Bert the Betta and the three peppered cories are in) I have a HOB filter with cartridge. On my next weekly water change I would like to change the cartridge out and put a new one in. However, I do not want to go through a mini cycle if I do that. How can I "season" a new cartridge before then? Do I just lay it in the tank for a few days/week and let the bacteria grow on it and then replace the old one with it or do I somehow stuff it in the HOB filter with the other one still in place?
Thanks in advance!

 

[SpeedEuphoria]

Take the old media and set it in the tank, then put the new media in the filter(mine floats so I have it pinned on the bottom under the inlet of the filter). The bacteria will migrate from the old media to the new. I'm doing it right now and plan to let the old media sit in the tank for a solid week.

 

[new2betas]

Cool....I knew you would have an answer for me...and so early in the morning too! Thanks. The new one is going in today for a solid week.

 

[SpeedEuphoria]

Just to confirm, leave the old one hanging out in the tank for at least a week. Put the new one in the filter like its supposed to.

 

[new2betas]

Just to confirm, leave the old one hanging out in the tank for at least a week. Put the new one in the filter like its supposed to.

yeah....exactly. I will take the old one out and put it in the tank somewhere inconspicously (sp?) and put the new cartridge in the filter.

 

[SpeedEuphoria]

inconspicously (sp?)

Heres a tip for spelling, its underlined with red, so its misspelled. If you drag and highlight the word, then right click it, it will have a list of words with correct spelling(its built in) so hopefully you didnt misspell it too badly and the correct word will be in the list, then just left click the right word and it will be inserted.

OK, lol

 

[new2betas]

Just to confirm, leave the old one hanging out in the tank for at least a week. Put the new one in the filter like its supposed to.

I guess it isn't a problem if my cories and betta are "snacking" on things off of the old filter cartridge. I am pretty sure it is just baby snails, but is there anything that could hurt them on there? No meds ever in tank...so is it okay?

 

[Purrbox]

Another method is to tear apart the old filter cartridge and just shove the floss part in with the new cartidge.

 

[new2betas]

Another method is to tear apart the old filter cartridge and just shove the floss part in with the new cartidge.

I might do this, Joy. My fishies seem too interest in the old filter and keep eating things off of it. I am scared there could be something on it that could hurt them....seeing as how it "filters" nasty stuff.....my betta was so fat looking last night that I didn't feed him. He had been eating stuff off of it all day along with the crushed snails I kept smooshing. It's funny....when I smoosh snails against the side...he eats the snail and then spits out the shell. I get a kick out of watching him do that.