Bio-wheel Culture...

[NutMutt]

Hey guys. Hope all is well. Anyways, I purchased a Marineland Penguin Bio-Wheel 350 model, right. Now this filter comes with two (2) Bio-wheels. So what I did was take my already cultured bio-wheel from my 30 gallon tank that just cycled last week. That filter is a Marineland Penguin Bio-Wheel 200 model that one comes with one bio-wheel.

Basically, I put the new filter in my 30 gallon and inter-changed both mechanical and bio-wheel from the original. Leaving half of the new filter with already cultured parts.

My Q is, how long do y'all think it will tank for the new bio-wheel to "piggy-back" and take hold of existing bacterias from the old bio-wheel?



Regards,
nutty
New York City, New York

 

[smmetz]

So, your 30 gallon tank has all the filter media from your old filter, plus new filter media since it holds twice as much. Since you kept all your old filter media, your tank should not have any problems with amonia or a mini-cylce. (unless you rinsed out the wheel and cartridge in tap water, which could kill the bacteria on it)

Anyway, I don't know how long it will take for the bacteria to settle on the new parts. Eventually there will be an equilibrium. I guess it will take a week or two, but that is just a guess - it might take longer.

Are you asking because you plan on setting up another tank with your old Penguin 200 filter - and want to use media from your established tank to help insta-cycle your new tank?

 

[NutMutt]

So, your 30 gallon tank has all the filter media from your old filter, plus new filter media since it holds twice as much. Since you kept all your old filter media, your tank should not have any problems with amonia or a mini-cylce. (unless you rinsed out the wheel and cartridge in tap water, which could kill the bacteria on it)

Anyway, I don't know how long it will take for the bacteria to settle on the new parts. Eventually there will be an equilibrium. I guess it will take a week or two, but that is just a guess - it might take longer.

Are you asking because you plan on setting up another tank with your old Penguin 200 filter - and want to use media from your established tank to help insta-cycle your new tank?

Yep, not trying to wash any filter(s) at all with my chorinated tap water -no way. My guess is six weeks far as the new bio-wheel to be up to speed.

On the Penguin fitler point, you are very close. That 200 model is sitting in a new tank as we speak. But that is temporary as it is going back to the 30 gallon we are orginially talking about. The new one is a 125 tank. And, of course, the 200 model is way too small. But I purchased a Marineland Emperor 400 and am currently running that alongside the "temp" 200 in the 125 tanker.

Sooooooo. When the 350 model bio-wheels are fully cultured, I will pop the original 200 model back into the 30 gallon along with it's original bio-wheel and drop the 350 model with a yet-again half-cultured bio-wheel along side the bio wheel that was in the "temp 200".

Am I getting too confusing here? Basically, I am trying to "borrow" my own bio-wheels across different filters to help build the bacteria faster/better. Just wondering if this approach will work.

Thanks for the info...

 

[rdd1952]

It shouldn't take long at all for the new filter with the existing media to cycle. The slow part about cycling is growing bacteria from scratch. You have a full bacteria colony so getting it to double will be rather quick. It may take a little longer for the bacteria to balance out on the 2 biowheels/media. I'm not very knowledgable about those particular filters since I have never had one but if you put some of the cycled media each side of the new filter, it should balance out rather quickly.

 

[NutMutt]

It shouldn't take long at all for the new filter with the existing media to cycle. The slow part about cycling is growing bacteria from scratch. You have a full bacteria colony so getting it to double will be rather quick. It may take a little longer for the bacteria to balance out on the 2 biowheels/media. I'm not very knowledgable about those particular filters since I have never had one but if you put some of the cycled media each side of the new filter, it should balance out rather quickly.

Thanks. You are da man, rdd1952 !!!

hehe

 

[smmetz]

Just remember that when you swap things around again to get some mature filter media into your 125 gallon tank - you will need a source of amonia right away or that bacteria on the filter will starve and die. So, you need fish in the tank right away, or you would need to add amonia drops to the tank regularly until you do add fish.

A couple hours without an amonia source wont kill off the bacteria, but a day or two will.

Good luck!