Will it be ok to add another tanks media?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
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Pazzoman

Piranha
MFK Member
Apr 5, 2009
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New York
Hey Everybody pretty sure the answer is yes, however it's late in the cycling. I'm up to nitrites and I now have the opportunity from my 50 gallon tank to take some media as the water is tested and clear. The ph is a little off but pretty sure it woudn't effect the media.

Also its an fx5 so should I squeeze a little bit of the sponges in the water? Or do I just take some of the biomax media? Thanks

Then I just throw it in with the 5 gallon of pond matrix I have in the sump of the tank that is cycling? Thanks
 
I would say your fine. I take hob filters off cycled tanks to cycle new ones. I do use tank water from the cycled tank in the new tank along with some substrate to speed things along. I use sand in all my tanks so I just mix it in. Ive added fish directly into the new tank using this process.
 
Ok thanks i will probably add a few gallons of water from the old tank and added to the new tank. As well as open up the fx5 and look for some biomaterial to add into my media of the new sump.

Thanks hopefully this will help get the tank done faster! Month into cycling and Im bored out of my mind staring at an empty tank
 
Water holds very little to no bacteria. Easier to not add old water.
 
Add old water. its not the bacteria your looking for in the in the old water, you dont want to kill off the bacteria in the media with fresh clean water. Same principal as a water change.
 
OK thanks for the replies. I basically took out a few cups of the media from the established tank and just stirred it with water from the established tank and then scatter it in the media I have in the sump. I 'm curious how fast it will start establishing bacteria. I will test the water tomorrow as I do every day.

Also F1-Vet I will get pothos as I ve read in your thread!
 
cyberhog05 said:
Add old water. its not the bacteria your looking for in the in the old water, you dont want to kill off the bacteria in the media with fresh clean water. Same principal as a water change.
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All you have to do is add dechlorinator. Same principle as a water change.
 
dechlorinator or not water from the tap will kill off some bacteria. I have seen this a 1000 times doing 90% wc with discus or even a large wc in my SA tanks. Now magnify that by adding seeded filters, media etc to a tank full of uncycled water and your going to really set yourself back a step. His entire point to do this is to speed along his cycling. So if your trying to create bb why would you set yourself back a step when you can avoid it? I entirely agree to add some dechlor if you are on crappy water.
 
Old water does nothing but put nitrates in your tank assuming the tank you've pulled if from is cycled. Nitrates do nothing to speed up your cycle. Use the media and a few small fish to keep the bacteria alive and you'll be good to go. You're going to lose some bacteria either way but if you stock very lightly as you do it, your colony will recolonize and adjust to the fish load. "Stability" is another way to add a bit of insurance when starting up.

Dechlorinated water will be just fine. Old water is a myth.
 
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