filter cartridge.?

Question

im setting up a tank right now and it has a 20-40 gallon filter and its a 29 gallon tank.

i want to know if i can take the old filter media out of a smaller 5-15 gallon filter on my established 10 gallon tank and just put in it even though it wont take up the entire inside of the cartrige holder inside the filter?
will this hurt my filter or make it like overfill and make water go everywhere, or will it help me get bacteria in my new tank?

thanks

Answer 1

Sure you can. In fact as you must be thinking it's a great way to get the good bacteria you need into your new tank more quickly. Better though would be to cut a few small peices of your old cartridge and place them inside the new cartridge, assuming you can open the cartridges or course. This will seed your new tank very quickly and really reduce ammonia and nitrite build up while also seeding your new filter media.

MM

Answer 2

Put a filter media that fits into the filter and run it; sink the old used filter (make sure the bag is closed so the carbon doesn't fall out) in the tank; the circulating water will disperse the pro-bacteria from the old filter into the gravel and the new filter media. After a week or 2, take out the old filter and toss out. You'll need to feed the bacteria during cycling so the bacteria won't die.

Answer 3

This shouldn't hurt your filter at all or cause any water spillage. However, it's not the best way to introduce bacteria. I recommend buying Cycle or some other brand of bacteria and put in a cheap fish or 2. This will get the tank ready in about 1 month.

Answer 4

You can do this, but only if you are cycling your tank, which is what you are looking to do. But once your tank has cycled imediatley put in the right size so that it can gain some ground on bacteria and then let that cycle, but it should not take as long now because you already have cycled the tank, so your are going to have to let that new cartridge gain some bactiria before it can handle any fish.

Answer 5

You need to get the right size catridge for your filter. They're designed to work a certain way, and if you don't you could jeopardize how the filter functions. Remember...those filters are really important...they keep the good bacteria in and the bad bacteria out.

Answer 6

I'd squeeze the water and stuff in the media into the other filter to trap. I'd be afraid of getting something caught or overflowing, but you can harvest at least some of the good bacteria.
You can use things like Hagen Cycle, API StressZyme or even Petsmart's house brand Bacteria Supplement to help with the cycling. These products contain dormant spores that activate once a food source is available.

Answer 7

water will just pass over it

Answer 8

you may not, water will simply pass around and over it and it will not stop any waste