Beneficial Bacteria

richkid

Candiru
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Dec 1, 2011
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How much beneficial bacteria is there really on decorations, like fake plants, caves, etc? The reason being I'm in a situation where I'm forced to swap filters without being able to run the old n new simultaneously. I've posted a question on swapping filters and was told to run them both till the new one catches up. What I did do was pack some stuff in the old filter for like two weeks. Then I also moved all the deco to the new tank and took the old filter pads and some parts of the old filter and sat them in the new tank. How likely am I to have a huge spike?
 

strollo22

Siamese Tiger
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May 21, 2012
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Why couldn't you just take all the media from the old filter and put it in the new filter? That's the way you should do it and you won't have any cycle issues.
 

strollo22

Siamese Tiger
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May 21, 2012
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What were you using as Bio Media? Bio Matrix? Filter pads shouldn't be the only beneficial bacteria.
 

richkid

Candiru
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Dec 1, 2011
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I had quilt batting inside behind the pads but that's all I could fit. I didn't really feel the need to add other media because my water parameters were always fine.
 

strollo22

Siamese Tiger
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May 21, 2012
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I would definitely add some ceramic media into the canister filter because that's not nearly enough bio. As for the pads, they should help cycle the new media you put in there. As long as you don't add any fish, the re-cycle shouldn't be too bad. Just test it multiple times a day and don't feed a lot.
 

isde02

Arapaima
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Jan 4, 2011
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x2 I would make sure to add bio media in the canister and it should be fine....you could seed the biomedia for the canister now by putting it in your tank for a week and then put it in the canister when your ready to make the switch.
 
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