New filter and bacterial colony in established tank

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Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jan 17, 2012
22
1
33
South Carolina
Hi guys,

First post, first aquarium; hope I don't sound too stupid. I have a 56 column I've been using an EX70 power filter on for about 6 months with no problems. It drives my fiancee nuts because it's too loud, so I researched a little and found a Fluval G6 on sale for $300. Anyway, I put it in last night and it's practically silent so that part is good, but I'm still running the EX70 because I figured that's where my bacteria are. How long before I can shut off the EX70, or can I just put some stress zyme in the Fluval watch my ammonia/nitrates/ites and be done with it?

Thanks,
Ben
 
I'd leave it for a little while, a month or so. Bacteria takes a week or two to colonize a new filter and I'm on the better safe than sorry side.

Granted a majority of your beneficial bacteria reside in your tank, not your filter, I'd still leave it be for a while.
 
Thanks for the quick answer. Now if I could just find an air pump that's this quiet she might let me move it to the bedroom and have a 150 in the living room. Might be strange having the oscar watch me sleep though.
 
If the air pump isn't used for an aesthetic purpose, e.g. bubble curtains, then you could probably do away with the entire thing.
 
My Rena 400 Air Pumps are dead silent... As for the BB of your EX70. I would have cut up the filter pads, dumped the carbon and shoved them in the G6 to seed it. Then watched the Water daily... You should go through a Mini Cycle, but you can control that with WCs...

Mike.
 
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