re-cycle?

[pangasiusfan]

i'm getting this 100gallon and it comes with a fluval.
the fluval is established and i'm planning to set it up today.
but i want to add a new emperor 400 to it. i already have fish in it though...a sailfin pleco, id sharks, and a few goldfish/guppy/bluegill.

but would the new filter cycle, producing ammonia and kill all my fish?
or do bio wheels not produce too much ammonia at the biggening?
is it safe to add this emperor to my tank? the only other tank i have is a turtle tank...i could possibly use it on that and once it's established move it to the 100.

but can i just add it to the 100? again the fluval is established.


and don't worry about the sharks, my neighbor will take them in his tropical pond

 

[pangasiusfan]

i'm getting this 100gallon and it comes with a fluval.
the fluval is established and i'm planning to set it up today.
but i want to add a new emperor 400 to it. i already have fish in it though...a sailfin pleco, id sharks, and a few goldfish/guppy/bluegill.

but would the new filter cycle, producing ammonia and kill all my fish?
or do bio wheels not produce too much ammonia at the biggening?
is it safe to add this emperor to my tank? the only other tank i have is a turtle tank...i could possibly use it on that and once it's established move it to the 100.

but can i just add it to the 100? again the fluval is established.


and don't worry about the sharks, my neighbor will take them in his tropical pond

 

[Ianab]

Adding another filter is no problem.

The filter doesn't produce ammonia, it removes ammonia. Fish produce ammonia. Cycling is allowing a new filter to grow a population of bacteria so it can function.

The existing filter will be doing all the work at first, the new one will just be pumping water. But over a few weeks some bacteria will colonise the new filter. Eventually the bacteria load will balance out between the 2 filters, exact amounts will depend on size, media type and water flow etc, but after maybe a month they will be sharing the load.

The established filter has been running in a populated tank up untill now right? It's just if they are switched off for more than a day, or allowed to dry out, the bacteria will die and then you will have to cycle them again from scratch.

Cheers

Ian

 

[pangasiusfan]

thank you ianab. but don't new filters produce ammonia and nitrites while cycling?
or will the established filter kill off all the ammonia from the new filter?
oh wait, second thought i think i know what you're saying. the new filter is just gonna take some more time to colonize right? is it going to produce ammonia/nitrate like all other new filters though?

also, i added alot of bio media in the established 404. can i add my fish to the tank already?

yup they were in the 100gallon cichlid tank that i bought 7hours ago and finished up now

 

[Ianab]

but don't new filters produce ammonia and nitrites while cycling?

No - filters never produce ammonia.. fish produce ammonia. Filters Convert that ammonia first into nitrite then into nitrate. You then remove the nitrate with your water changes.

The only reason you see Ammonia in a new tank is because the fish are pooping but the bacteria in the filter aren't there yet.

In your situation the cycled filter will just keep on doing what it always has. The new filter will initially have zero effect on the tank, just move the water around a bit more.

the new filter is just gonna take some more time to colonize right?

Yup. Because there is allways a minute trace of ammonia and nitrite in the water (hopefully less than your test kit can measure) bacteria will start to colonise the new filter media.

Have a read of this article, it explains the whole cycle better.

http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm

Cheers

Ian

 

[guppy]

Ianab has it right.
In addition though, I usually kick start my new filters by seeding the media with sludge from the older filter.

 

[johnptc]

.......I usually kick start my new filters by seeding the media with sludge from the older filter.

.

 

[guppy]

Just add the new filter, run both for a couple-four weeks, then remove the old one, also helps to seed new media with a little sludge from old filter.

 

[duke33]

i'm getting this 100gallon and it comes with a fluval.
the fluval is established and i'm planning to set it up today.
but i want to add a new emperor 400 to it. i already have fish in it though...a sailfin pleco, id sharks, and a few goldfish/guppy/bluegill.

but would the new filter cycle, producing ammonia and kill all my fish?
or do bio wheels not produce too much ammonia at the biggening?
is it safe to add this emperor to my tank? the only other tank i have is a turtle tank...i could possibly use it on that and once it's established move it to the 100.

but can i just add it to the 100? again the fluval is established.


and don't worry about the sharks, my neighbor will take them in his tropical pond

Trust what you've been reading Bro.

 

[Ianab]

In addition though, I usually kick start my new filters by seeding the media with sludge from the older filter.

Yes.. that would get things happening a little faster.

Cheers

Ian