Running two filters

[bethinak]

I decided the waterfall filter than came with our tank wasn't going to ever be biolgically appropriate without substrate and I bought a canister filter on amazon and it finally arrived today. I actually managed to set it up (WHOO HOO) and it is working ok. However, I've been running the other filter for a few weeks and I'm hesitant to remove the filter from the system since it has what little bacteria i have been able to build up in it.

there are no animals in the tank - just a couple of plants and logs

Should I :
1) keep both filters running until the cycle is established and then turn off the waterfall one.
2) Take the filter media out of the waterfall and stick it in the canister filter (I have a tray i left empty with a consideration for this)
3) just turn off the waterfall filter, and stick some gravel from my established tank in the canister?

Also, do i want carbon in my canister filter? I have a bio balls layer, a ceramic layer and an empty layer right now - I have carbon and I have that purechem that rachel told me to buy (I have to buy a bag - who knew) - I was leaning towards using the purechem.

 

[rachel1]

I would put the media from the first filter in your new canister. The proximity will promote faster colonization for any bacteria you already have growing on the new media. I don't use charcoal- good biological filtration negates the need. The purigen will help pull out tannins, but those will not hurt your axis, so I would concentrate on establishing your nitrifying bacteria as the first priority.

 

[Jonjey]

Ditch whatever is in your HOB filter and replace it with biological media and a thin layer of mechanical. Replace mechanical every month or two.. Carbon doesn't do anything useful unless you have a sick thing in the tank so typically don't need it. Your canister should have mechanical > bio > bio or chemical in it's trays (mechnical being the first thing the water flows through).
I would keep both filters running so that you can put the established HOB filter on other tanks if they need it, always good to have an extra established filter around. I keep a few sponge filters running in my tanks, even though I have more than enough filtration on them without it I have them so I can make a makeshift quarantine bucket or if a filter breaks etc.