Setting up a new External filter with existing tank

**serbusfish** · 12-17-2012, 07:13 PM

For Christmas my mum has purchased an external filter to replace the internal one from their Juwel Rio 300 tank, and I was wondering what would be the best way to go about setting it up? Will it need running alongside the old filter or could they simply put all there old media from the Juwel filter into it?

**jeffs99dime** · 12-17-2012, 07:19 PM

Which type of external filter is it. Provided the media will fit in the new filter you should be able to do that no problem.

**Goes to 11!** · 12-17-2012, 07:19 PM

if your tank is cycled yeah you can do that, Details on the new filter would help you get more specific advice.

**ijankrom** · 12-17-2012, 07:22 PM

I would imagine all they would need to do is transfer all the filter media from one to the other unit. If it doesn't fit then you will need to run the new alongside the old giving some time for the new media to establish a BB colony.

**ijankrom** · 12-17-2012, 07:24 PM

Originally Posted by 850R

if your tank is cycled

+1
Assumed it was already cycled, but yeah good catch.

**Goes to 11!** · 12-17-2012, 07:29 PM

Originally Posted by ijankrom

+1
Assumed it was already cycled, but yeah good catch.

**serbusfish** · 12-17-2012, 09:20 PM

Its a JBL CristalProfi 1501, and yes the tank has been cycled for a few years. I was thinking some of the media could be cut to fit the other filter? And the filter also has 'white' media consisting of balls and pieces of tubing, will these house good bacteria too?

**serbusfish** · 12-25-2012, 07:38 AM

Bump, filter is here, advice would be sweet :)

**sirpreet** · 12-25-2012, 11:40 AM

hi, yes you need to cut some media to fit your new jbl. white media balls and pieces of tubing are good for housing bacteria. but it would be good & important to get some media from your other filter to kick start the bacteria in the new filter.

**Honey Badger 1** · 12-25-2012, 12:04 PM

Personally, I would run the two filters together for a few weeks to get the new one a bit seasoned and the new media at least partially cycled, then transfer as much of the media from the old filter into the new one. Less chance of a mini-cycle this way.