BettaMamaPDJ Posted October 10, 2020 Share Posted October 10, 2020 Hi! I just got some new Aquarium Co-Op sponge filters for my tank and am planning on replacing the old ones. I have a 10 gallon betta tank with a center divider and a sponge filter on each side. The tank has been established for over a year. I know that I will need to set the new filters in the tank while the old ones continue running, and that I should only add one new filter at a time, but how long should I wait before taking the old ones out? My brother said a month, but I’ve also seen 1 week. My bettas love their plants and I don’t have a lot of spare room in the base of the tank, plus one of the old filters has gotten noisy and it’s driving me crazy. Any advise would be appreciated! Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sykes Posted October 10, 2020 Share Posted October 10, 2020 A week should be good. If I'm not mistaken, I think Cory actually recommended a week on a recent live stream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aqua junky Posted October 10, 2020 Share Posted October 10, 2020 You've got nothing but time and it sounds like you really love your pets so why rush it? I'd switch them out after 2 or even 3 weeks. I wouldn't throw away the old filters tho. Those things are priceless when it comes to setting up new tanks!! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Burke Posted October 10, 2020 Share Posted October 10, 2020 I would err on the side of caution. Call it Seasoned Filter Time (SFT). Kinda like STT..... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yannachka Posted October 10, 2020 Share Posted October 10, 2020 make sure you feed extra so there is food for additional bacteria to grow on the filters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDukeAnumber1 Posted October 10, 2020 Share Posted October 10, 2020 "IMO" here. I'm guessing you have substrate since you have plants, I personally would just swap them out with no wait time. The substrate will have plenty of beneficial bacteria which can reproduce quickly in a mature tank. I would just make sure to not overfeed in the first week and as always with any changes to an aquarium, test water as you go. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marnol D Posted October 10, 2020 Share Posted October 10, 2020 If the tank has just a betta in it and has substrate and plants such as moss balls you could swap almost instantly as everything in the tank as beneficial bacteria. If you want to play it safe and your tanks are warm 78F+ I would wait a week (warmer tanks bacteria reproduces faster also if there is more food they'll reproduce faster but that is how a bloom occurs). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrostiesFishes Posted October 10, 2020 Share Posted October 10, 2020 I’d put the new filter in and leave it at least two weeks. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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