Best way to add a canister filter?

[Guest]

I am getting a Hagen Fluval 304 on Monday for my 55g tank. The tank is relatively new, but I'm sure some bacteria have set up in the "old" Whisper 60 hob filter I started with 2 weeks ago. Whats the best way to transition from one filter to the other? I have a bottle of SeaChem Stability that claims it contains the bacteria needed in a tank that I have been adding the past week. I want to get the hob out of there as fast as possible, so whats the game plan?

 

[Jchillin]

Take the filter pads, bio balls and other media you have and dump all of it in the 304. You're ready to go in no time...keep the media wet during the transfer.

 

[Guest]

Take the filter pads, bio balls and other media you have and dump all of it in the 304. You're ready to go in no time...keep the media wet during the transfer.

All I have right now in the hob are two big rectangular sponges filled with carbon.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

You could just run them at the same time for about a month. I'm not too farmiliar with the Fluval 304, but if it has baskets that you can fill, just put your current cartridges in the baskets if they will fit, in addition to ceramic rings or whatever you plan to use.

 

[BrianNY]

I wouldn't add anything old to your new Fluval. However, as Fishyfanatic says, running the HOB for 4 to 6 weeks with the Fluval is sufficient time for the bioload to colonize in the cannister. Then you can safely remove the HOB.

 

[asaint]

I'll 3rd the suggestion of running them in parallel for about 2 months. Best way to transition to a new filter.

best of luck,
Asaint