I have a couple of questions about changing my tank's filter.
1. Do I need to change the filter? Is it really necessary?
2. Will I have to re-cycle my tank if I do change the filter, since most of the bacteria lives on the filter (right?)?
3. If I do change the filter, is there a way to get the bacteria off of the old filter and onto the new one?
Thanks for all replies!!
-Jess
Hi Jess,
1. It depends what sort of filter it is. If it is an undergravel filter then yes it would be recommended to change to a more efficient type of filter.
If you are using a filter that uses sponge media and the filter is clogged up, you can take the sponges out and just give them a shake in a bucket of the tank water (this will preserve the bacterias living in the sponges).
2. A lot of bacteria lives in the filter yes, but also resides on all the other tank surfaces - as long as these other bacterias are well established and not disturbed the filter should be fine to be replaced.
It is possible your tank may be thrown into a 'mini-cycle' while the bacteria is readjusting - I would just keep an eye on the water quality by testing the water every couple of days for a couple of weeks and doing any partial water changes if needed until the bacterias readjust.
3. It would depend if the filters used similar media such as sponges of the same size. Some filters use sponges, some use clay balls, some use polyester pads...If your bacteria is well established on the tank surfaces, I wouldn't worry about transferring the bacteria - it won't take long to colonise the new filter.
