Filtration upgrade

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
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USMC Sniper

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 9, 2007
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Cleveland, Ohio
I just picked up 2 Emperor 400s (for a great price from JOEG., thanks Joe!) and they're going to replace 2 other Penguins on my 75g. Now, I've always setup filters on tanks through the original cycling, allowing the filters to develop the biological on their own through time. This time since it's an established tank and so are the filters, when I stagger in the Emperors, approximately how long does it take to build up the bio on the first filter before I can swap in the second?
The only thread I've been able to locate so far on the matter regarded a canister, and the poster suggested about a month. I'm assuming the longer wait period was more pertaining to the considerably larger canister volume, but I'm just guessing.

Does anyone have any experience in such an upgrade, and how long did you wait to swap out the second filter?

Obviously, I'm going to cut back on feedings and monitor for ammonia/nitrate spikes and see if the Emps bio-wheels fit the Penguins (haven't closely examined them yet). If so, I'd imagine that would mostly do it right there if they do fit (filters are different sizes, so I won't have any bacteriological help there...). I might even been able to get 1 of the Emps on the back of the tank so 3 of the 4 would be running simultaneously, but that still leaves the question - how long for the bio build-up before the switch?

Other than that, any thoughts or suggestions that might assist the process?

Thanks,
Chuck
 
I would do it about 2 weeks apart. If you are eager to get them both running at the same time, float the old BIO-Wheels in the aquarium for a couple of weeks and rip off the old filter fiber from the cartridges and stuff them behind the new ones. Test your water, and do water changes as needed.

Daniel
 
Can't you just put the old media in the new filters?
 
I might/should be able to stick them in the back behind the media baskets. I haven't really checked them out yet but that would completely solve the problem if they fit, as well as floating the BIO-Wheels.
Thanks for the help guys, sometimes I miss the glaringly obvious... :wall:
 
Well, I just finished setting them up and the old filters from the 170 & 350 won't fit in the Emperors with the media baskets. I took Daniel's suggestion and ripped the filter fiber off and stuck them behind the Emps filters and have the old BIO-Wheels floating in the tank. Media baskets are filled with Ammo Chips and I have a couple Purigens in the filters as well. I guess I'll leave them as is for a couple of weeks and test daily.

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

Chuck
 
Remove the ammo chips immediately. They will slow you cycle, and then later on you will be in big trouble. Why waste your money on them anyways if the BBs will take care of it.

Daniel
 
fishieperson321;665714; said:
Remove the ammo chips immediately. They will slow you cycle, and then later on you will be in big trouble. Why waste your money on them anyways if the BBs will take care of it.

Daniel
Click to expand...

My thought was that the existing BBs from the filter fiber and old BIO-Wheels would keep the bio load in check. The ammo chips would only help prevent a spike *just in case* it occurred, so there technically shouldn't be a mini cycle, should there?
Do you really think they should come out? I can have them out in under a minute if need be...

Chuck
 
They're out. I'll just keep testing, do w/c and add Prime if need be.
 
I've just done what you're doing on a couple tanks. It's been 2 weeks and all is well with not even a hint of a spike. I did have some cloudy water for a few days but the water checked out. I didn't move the blue media, just floated the old wheels while the new grew some bacteria.

I agree on ditching the ammo chips, you'll want the bacteria to develop to support the bio-load, that product will only stunt the colony.
 
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