Adding Filter

[dcarmor927]

hey all, i just got another filter for my 55 gal so i have 105 gallons worth of filter, i was wondering if this would cause any weird instability in my tank as its bacteria builds up. Maybe shoulda asked before adding...i assume that it will just go through a reg process, but Im in the Nitrite portion of a fish in cycle (still...) and thought that could have some weird effect. Thanks!

 

[rabbut]

If it makes any difference, it will only serve to speed-up the cycle

 

[waterdrop]

Agree, this should be no problem to your cycle.

The 2 bacterial populations of any biofilter will eventually grow to balance with the supplied ammonia load. If the biomedia is divided over multiple filters, the populations will balance across the filters, to the extent that the bacteria find the filter environments equally satisfactory. Potentially, this will happen very slowly over time. Eventually, if you remove one of two identical filters, you will be removing half of the biofiltration.

If your fish do not get blown around too much by extra flow then larger volumes of filter media are nearly always more desirable. Two filters allow for less disruption during and after filter maintenance, as cleanings can alternate. Two filters provide an obvious backup advantage.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[OldMan47]

With the new filter running, it will have to start from scratch to build its bacterial colonies. The old filter will continue to develop and should finish at the same time that it would have without the new filter being present. The end result will likely be a cycled tank with a new filter that is still trying to establish itself.

 

[dcarmor927]

THANKS!