hello MFK, My 125g is up and running and cycled. Its filtration is (2) AC 110's. I want to start my 40g...would it be ok to take some bio rings from one of the AC 110's and put it in my filter for the 40g? I dont want to mess up the water chemistry of my 125. Would doing this throw off the 125g water conditions? Are there any better suggestions? Thanks
seeding a 40 gallon
- Thread starter FreshwaterHawaii
- Start date
No, that will work out fine. I would take about 25% of the rings from each AC110(replace with new rings) and add them to the filter on the 40g. Are you going to immediately add fish to the 40g? If not then you will need to have some sort of ammonia source.
Anytime you mess with your bio media you should test your water params frequently just to make sure, though I would doubt you'll see any issues.
Anytime you mess with your bio media you should test your water params frequently just to make sure, though I would doubt you'll see any issues.
What should I do if there's a lot of nitrites, ammonia, or both? Do I do a water change? Or use prime?
That is one of the best ways to start the 40 gallon and it will not disturb the 125 gallon. When ever I started a new tank I would hold off feeding for several days. I would not do a water change.
Yep, I used to have so many extra Marineland filters along with the 2 on my 120gal that all I had to do to start a tank was switch the bio-wheels on the filters.
I'm about to set up a 40 gallon also, what are your stocking plans for yours?
I'm about to set up a 40 gallon also, what are your stocking plans for yours?
Some clown loaches and maybe a couple tinfoil barbs. So if you moved established filter media from one tank to another, the new tank is automatically cycled?
In a sense yes. You can take like 10 gallons of 125 water and exchange with 40g to boost process if you like the perimeters of 125 for your 40. Also, read some other posts. I am thinking of starting a 40 to 
either as a turtle tank, or SA pike characins
either as a turtle tank, or SA pike characinsI always heard that taking water from a established tank wont do anything because the beneficial bacteria doesn't live in the water itself? I could have read it wrong, not sure. thanks for all the replies, its helped a lot. A little update... So i did take some of the ceramic cylinders from my 125 gallon filters and put them into the penguin 350 i had on my 40g. I tested the water the next day and the ammonia dropped a little and nitrites began to rise. I then tested nitrates and it came back positive for nitrates which is a good thing. Now im just waiting for ammonia and nitrites to drop to zero...hopefully it wont be long.