dskidmore
Aquarium Advice Addict
If the old substrate has not dried out yet, you can use that to help the new sand cycle if you really need to change your filter for some reason. Put some of the old gravel in 4 filter bags, socks, pantyhose, whatever, and place on top of the sand. Remove one package each week if all water parameters are ok. At the end of the month, your sand should have grown enough bacteria to support your cycle.
The other way to have a painless cycle with a new filter/substrate is to use fast growing stem plants, in great quantity, but then you either have another addiction, or a messy forest after that.
The other way to have a painless cycle with a new filter/substrate is to use fast growing stem plants, in great quantity, but then you either have another addiction, or a messy forest after that.