How long to run parallel filters?

[Nefersmum]

I was advised to replace my cannister filter with a foam one as I was spending hours picking baby shrimp out of it when I cleaned the filter.


The recommendation was to run them parallel for a time till the new one got suitably seeded. How long should I run them side by side?


One other question is about changing the sponges on the filter. The instructions that came with it indicates a monthly change but that does not make sense because you'd be discarding all that good bacteria.


I'd be grateful for advice with either question.


Thanks

 

[StarGirl]

I would say at least a month or more to seed the filter. After taking the old one out really monitor your levels. If it does spike some it shouldnt be long to go away with water changes.

Yes you are right it doesnt make sense but makes them money. You dont ever need to change the sponge ever. It literally should be falling apart. By that time you will have ample time to seed a new one. I have not replaced a sponge on a sponge filter to date.

 

[FishyMcfish]

I’d say 4 weeks plus for the filter swap! As far as the sponges go, I’d say rinse them off and kinda squeeze out the crud from then in the tank water you take out for a water change then put them back in the filter

 

[SparkyJones]

I'd agree. Minimum would be 3 weeks but 4 weeks it should be good and if you can wait a bit longer to 6 weeks even better.

If keeping shrimps, honestly the best is an in tank sponge filter. It's nice and gentle and won't suck them up.

When you do a water change just squeeze out the sponge in the waste tank water a couple times and put it back. Once a week once every two week once a month. If the sponges look really dirty they could use a squeeze out if they don't look bad it still won't hurt.
You aren't going to lose your bacteria colony doing this.

You might if you wash them in chlorinated water in the sink or really wash them too much, I find the don't get really nasty and squeeze out easy in one or two squeezes by doing it more frequently than less frequently and letting them get bad.

 

[Nefersmum]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I think we've been running two for about a month but I'll leave it for a couple more weeks to be on the safe side. I won't be sorry to see the back of the old filter as I'm not only struggling with rescuing the products of a baby boom every time I clean the filter but I have had a fern based disaster which is merrily collecting in the filter. Yuck!