10 GALLON FISH TANK FILTER CARTRIDGE HOW TO
10 GALLON FISH TANK FILTER CARTRIDGE FULL

But it’s a fishkeeping rookie mistake that can cost you some good bacteria and sometimes even the life of a few pet fish.Īlways clean filter media in old tank water, outside the aquarium, with a gentle touch. This filter maintenance step has more to do with cleaning filter media rather than changing it. Always clean filter media in old tank water. That’s why waiting 4 to 6 weeks to fully switch to the new filter is definitely worth it. This method will give bacteria time to grow and colonize the new filtration system, preventing the risk of your aquarium developing “ new tank syndrome”, just because of a filter change.Ī drastic loss of bacteria, paired with an immature (uncycled) filtering system, can wreak havoc in any tank.

10 GALLON FISH TANK FILTER CARTRIDGE FULL

During this period of time, your new filtering system might not work at its full potential (given the old cartridge), but it will benefit your tank’s culture of nitrifying bacteria greatly. If you’re working with filtering cartridges, and you’ve bought an upgraded filter or switched brands, this might be a bit trickier.Īs long as the old filter cartridge is in good shape and not falling apart, you can reuse it for 4 to 6 weeks in the new filter. Granted, this will work best if the two filtration systems have similarly sized and shaped media. If keeping two filtering systems in the same tank just isn’t feasible for your set-up, the next best thing you can do is to reuse the filter media from the old system in your new filter.

Reuse the filter media from the old filter. Still, it’s definitely the least expensive method to use when switching to an entirely new filtration system. It might not be the quickest way to change an aquarium filter without losing bacteria. Keep the old filter while running the new filtering system for 4 to 6 weeks, and you’ll be able to make the switch with virtually no bacteria loss. This set-up is temporary, easy to implement, and very efficient. If you’re changing your tank’s entire filtering system, you should definitely plan on keeping both the old and the new filtration systems in the aquarium until the colony of beneficial bacteria has time to settle in the new filter. If your filtering system only comes with one sponge, you can try cutting it in half, and pairing an old half-sponge with a new half-sponge to mimic the same process. There are enough good bacteria on a single sponge to prevent your tank’s water quality from dropping when changing the filter media.

This process allows the developed bacteria that’s set up camp in the sponges to have time to colonize the new sponge. If your filter’s filtering media includes two sponges (highly recommended!), you should only change one of the sponges and use the remaining sponge along with a new one. Depending on how dirty the water in your tank is, the filter media that water passes through will eventually become clogged and prevent the filter from working efficiently. Here’s a list of filter-changing options that will protect the established nitrifying bacteria in your tank: Change tank filter sponges one at a time.įilters work by trapping debris and particles while circulating water.

10 GALLON FISH TANK FILTER CARTRIDGE HOW TO

You can see why learning how to change a fish tank’s filter without losing bacteria should be part of “Fishkeeping 101” for any aquarist. Nitrifying bacteria (good bacteria!) has a vital role in turning your tank into a thriving habitat for plants & fish alike. When you cycle a tank, the filtration system is the first place where beneficial bacteria will set and start accumulating. That’s why learning basic maintenance should come first, before picking out all the gorgeous critters and aquascaping goodies. Just the fact that you’re wondering how to change an aquarium filter without losing bacteria means that you’re way ahead of the game! A lot of first-time fishkeepers will dive in head-first when getting their first tank, without researching aquarium cycling or how maintenance should look like.Ī big part of your tank maintenance routine will revolve around keeping the established bacteria in your tank in order not to send your aquarium into shock.

How To Change An Aquarium Filter Without Losing Bacteria

How Often Should You Change The Filter?.

How To Tell If You Have Enough Good Bacteria In Your Tank.

What Else Can Kill Good Bacteria In A Tank?.

What Happens If You Lose All The Bacteria?.

How Do You Get Good Bacteria In An Aquarium?.

How To Clean A Tank Without Losing Bacteria.

Always clean filter media in old tank water.

Reuse the filter media from the old filter.

Change tank filter sponges one at a time.

How To Change An Aquarium Filter Without Losing Bacteria.

10 gallon fish tank filter cartridge