adding beneficial bacteria to a problem tank

[kitties1]

If i take out a pagoda statue and a small cave from one of my tanks that has perfect nitrite and ammonia levels (0ppm each) and put it in a tank that is having an ammonia and nitrite proplem will this help? i am thinking that, theoretically, the good bacteria will trasfer from one place to another and speed up the cycling process. any comments on this? anyone have success or reccommendations for this process? i have been posting in all the forums looking for advice with my two problem tanks. Thanks for the help.

 

[Teelie]

It should help some though supposedly there's not much bacteria on the ornaments as the filters. If you can take a filter piece, like the cartridge from an established tank, that should help greatly in getting the bactera established.

 

[Sorrell]

I agree with Teelie here. What I like to do is run an extra filter on an established tank for a couple weeks and then transfer the filter/media onto the new tank.

If this isn't an option, another thing you can try, but it won't help near as much is to take some gravel from the existing tank, put it in a stocking and let it sit in the new tank. It won't be loaded with bacteria like a filter, but every little bit counts.

 

[kitties1]

Okay how about this...
I can swop the filter cartridge from one tank to another, as i have the same set up for two tanks. How old does the filter cartridge need to be?

As far as the other set up, what if I suspend an old filter cartridge in a stocking in the problem tank? would this help more than the ornamental stuff?

thanks again for your input.

 

[Teelie]

The older the better but ideally the cartridge from an established tank should be at least a month old to have a good colony on it. You could hang the old cartridge in the tank but it won't be as effective as being in the filter itself. The bacteria like the current plus the water will be filtered through the current where the bacteria can get to it better than if they were in a slower-current area of the tank.

 

[kitties1]

Just an update...

I swopped out the filters in two of my 10g tanks. This seems to have helped significantly. The nitrite in the "good" tank went up a little as a result, to about .20 ppm, so i did a water change and retested a few hours later to find it at 0ppm again.
The second tank which received the "good" filter cartridge" has finally regulated as well (for the time being), and i also did a water change and retested a few hours later to find all readings (NO2 and NH3/NH4) at 0ppm.

As far as the smaller tank, still remains at 0ppm for both items.

The larger tank is another issue. I am going to continue with 20% water changes daily. Is this too much or too little for a 30 gallon? I gathered some gravelw/bacteria into a stocking as suggested and have been suspending it. I haven't done a test yet, but am about to do it.hopefully things will look a little better although i don't expect as dramatic a change in the larger tank. My guess it is easier to "cycle" repair a smaller tank with fewer inhabitants.

Thanks for everyone's info...and if you have further suggestions they are appreciated.

-cb