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Switching out filters.. What to do with my guy for 24 hours???

375 views 3 replies 4 participants last post by  Agent13 
#1 ·
I have 3 tanks, my two 5 gallons with marineland bio wheel fulters are fantasic, never had an issue. But my ten gallon has an awful nitrite problem. The only difference- no bio wheel. I've tried to fix it- water changes everyday, my fish guy gave me this solution to put in and nothing, no change. My sweet betta boy is showing no symptoms. He is VERY active, breathing ok, and his gills look fine. The tank is about 2 months old I waited a month before I bought him to allow it to cycle, which I didn't even do with the other 2 those only 24 hours. So today I bought him a marineland bio filter hoping that will fix my nitrite problem. My big question is... Would it be bad if I put him in the tank right after I put in the new filter? And if so what do I do with him for 24 hours??
 
#2 ·
Are you sure you actually cycled the tank? Did you just pop the filter on and let it run? If you didn't have an ammonia source then the tank was just sitting there with a dormant filter that was sucking in and spitting out clean water. If this is the case, then I'd leave it and let it finish its cycle. If you did properly cycle it, then I would get the new filter all set up, take the filter media out of the old filter, shove the old filter media into the new filter along with the new media (so you'd have two "sets"), and then take the old filter off. The good bacteria on the old filter will transfer to the new one and you can take the old filter media out in a week or two.
 
#3 ·
+1 with Jelloh. Sounds like you didn't actually cycle your tank & you are now doing a fish in cycle. How long have you been seeing nitrites? Are you using a liquid test kit? Personally, I'd leave things as they are & let the tank finish cycling otherwise you'll just be doing a fish in cycle with the new filter. I don't know what reading you're getting for nitrites. How big are your daily water changes? I do a 50% water change when my ammo/nitrites are .5 or more while I'm doing a fish IN.
 
#4 ·
What kind of filter is already in your 10 gallon? In the 10 gallons I've bought they always had filters that needed altering. The biowheel is good because it had a seperate place for the BB to live but it's cheap and easy to add that part to filters that just come with carbon filters. But if you feel you need the biowheel do what jelloh says so you can transfer the bacteria from the old to the new filter by using the old media along with the new.
 
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