If you have decided to replace your old aquarium filter with a new Aquakallax filter, there are a few things to keep in mind to make the switch successful and keep your fish and plants healthy.
Here are a few tips:
Simply swapping out the old filter for a new filter can cause significant fluctuations in the biology of your aquarium. This is because an aquarium is a complex ecology that relies on a balance of nitrifying bacteria and other microorganisms responsible for converting nitrogen compounds in the water.
If you remove the old filter, you will also lose part of the bacterial population in the aquarium, which is responsible for the biological cycle. The result is a drop in water quality and a burden on your fish and plants. This can lead to increased levels of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate in the water, which can be harmful to fish and plants.
Therefore it is recommended to use one or both of the following methods to ensure that the new filter has had enough time to develop its own culture of bacteria before removing the old filter. By following this practice, you minimize the risk of fluctuations in the biology of your aquarium and ensure that the water quality remains stable.
This is a very popular and effective method
INCUBATE
When inoculating a new aquarium filter, the bacterial culture is transferred from an already established filter to get the biological filtration going right away.
By inoculating the new filter with filter media from an established aquarium, the beneficial bacterial culture can be immediately transferred to the new filter, reducing the time it takes for a new bacterial culture to develop and reducing the risk of ammonia or nitrite poisoning for fish in the aquarium becomes.
parallel operation
Another option is to let the new filter run at the same time as the old filter for a while to establish a healthy bacterial culture in the aquarium and maintain the biological balance. Running the new filter in parallel with the old filter allows for a gradual transfer of bacteria and other microorganisms from your old filter to the new filter.
This means that the new filter gradually builds up the same bacterial culture as the old filter and your fish and plants are not exposed to too much stress. Run the two filters together for at least 10 to 14 days before removing the old filter. However, check the water quality regularly to make sure everything is working correctly.
