Seeding new filter.

[TomTheCichlid]

I have a new filter for a 125g. It is currently running in my 90g Malawi tank.

Ihave moved 2 sponges from a fully established filter into the new filter. How long roughly until the new filter is ready to be moved over to my 125g? As I’m guessing by adding established media to a new filter I have given the new filter a massive head start?

 

[dr exum]

is the 125g brand new set up?

it will help - will have to watch water parameters -check for nitrates , ammo, ect.

i’ve used tank water from larger system to fill new tanks in addition to seeded media and have obtained instant cycle if you will -

i don’t fully stock and do light water changes for first few months until BB filter established -

hope this helps -
gL

 

[BIG FISH BOB]

Can you run the new filter on the old tank ?? That would help. Also use as much of your old water as possible.

 

[tlindsey]

I have a new filter for a 125g. It is currently running in my 90g Malawi tank.

Ihave moved 2 sponges from a fully established filter into the new filter. How long roughly until the new filter is ready to be moved over to my 125g? As I’m guessing by adding established media to a new filter I have given the new filter a massive head start?

Welcome aboard

You could move it to the 125 gallon now but you need a food source for the beneficial bio-bacteria on the sponges. You could add live fish or fishless with a raw shrimp as it breaks down it will decompose and provide ammonia for the bacteria. Please don't forget to Dechlorinate the water for the 125 gallon.

 

[esoxlucius]

I have a new filter for a 125g. It is currently running in my 90g Malawi tank.

Ihave moved 2 sponges from a fully established filter into the new filter. How long roughly until the new filter is ready to be moved over to my 125g? As I’m guessing by adding established media to a new filter I have given the new filter a massive head start?

You don't say how long your new filter has been running in the 90g. If it's been a while it'll pretty much be good to go. Put it in your 125g, add fish (slowly), and monitor those parameters closely. Go easy on feeding for a time so your fish aren't putting out too much ammonia that your young colonies of BB can't handle.

If it's only been a couple of days then even with your added sponges I doubt the filter will yet be up to the task of running a tank on it's own, stock dependant of course.

Also use as much of your old water as possible.

BB wise, there's not much benefit to be had from using old water. BB attach themselves to all surfaces, they're not free swimming in the water column.

 

[TomTheCichlid]

You don't say how long your new filter has been running in the 90g. If it's been a while it'll pretty much be good to go. Put it in your 125g, add fish (slowly), and monitor those parameters closely. Go easy on feeding for a time so your fish aren't putting out too much ammonia that your young colonies of BB can't handle.

If it's only been a couple of days then even with your added sponges I doubt the filter will yet be up to the task of running a tank on it's own, stock dependant of course.



BB wise, there's not much benefit to be had from using old water. BB attach themselves to all surfaces, they're not free swimming in the water column.

Thanks all for replies. Filter has been running on the old tank 6 days now. The old tank has over 35 Malawi cichlids in so there’s a big bio load there

 

[twentyleagues]

It's a hard answer to give with the little info you've supplied. A major help would be what kind of filter is it? If it's something like the aquaclear filters and youve used the foam filter from a previously running filter of the same design I'd say you are good to lightly stock and keep an eye on parameters. If it's a can with a relatively small surface area sponge then you may need to wait a bit to further build up the bacteria colony. There are a lot of filters all with various ways of filtering. The best filters to do this with have relatively large sponge "prefilters" and media baskets with biomedia in them. On the other hand cartridge type hobs are probably one of the worst.

 

[TomTheCichlid]

It's a hard answer to give with the little info you've supplied. A major help would be what kind of filter is it? If it's something like the aquaclear filters and youve used the foam filter from a previously running filter of the same design I'd say you are good to lightly stock and keep an eye on parameters. If it's a can with a relatively small surface area sponge then you may need to wait a bit to further build up the bacteria colony. There are a lot of filters all with various ways of filtering. The best filters to do this with have relatively large sponge "prefilters" and media baskets with biomedia in them. On the other hand cartridge type hobs are probably one of the worst.

I’ve taken the sponges out my fluval 406 and put them into my aqua manta 600.

 

[Rocksor]

In the past year I have been using Seachem Ammonia alert. It's a stick inside the tank indicator. I've found it very helpful in measuring toxic ammonia, and warning me about it. I can check it every few hours or everyday, so the toxic ammonia won't necessarily creep up on me unexpectedly.

 

[duanes]

The beneficial bacteria we need are not planktonic, they are sessile, (they live as biofilm on surfaces), on media like ceramic rings, lava rock, or bio balls, even tank glass. They are not floating around in the water and helping to consume ammonia in any real sense in a planktonic state.
So using old water is basically futile. And in fact, using it can cover up what's really going on in a new cycle.
This is because old tank water already is most likely partially or even highly saturated with nitrate, so it can give an aquarist the false sense of security that the cycle is complete, when those nitrates are left over from the old water, and ammonia and nitrite are not being consumed.
One is better off using new water, so you watch the progeession of the cycle from ammonia, to nitrite, and finally nitrate, if starting a cycle from scatch .
And when adding media from a seasoned filter, to keep it seasoned, those bacteria need to be fed with ammonia, so adding "a few fish" to a tank with a seasoned filter is advised, if fish aren't added the bacteria in the seasoned media could starve.