Cycling A Tank

[Meggie :)]

I have a ten gallon aquarium that I have had cycled for over three and a half years. I just bouht a fifty gallon and I am thinking about buying another ten gallon. I change out the filter cartridge in my ten gallon once a month. There are 4 filter cartridges in the 50 gallon, as there are two filters that both hold two cartridges. My ten gallon and the one I may buy both have one filter that holds one cartridge each. Is there any way I could put the used filter cartridge after the month I used it in my cycled ten gallon a dn put that into the filter of the new one? And maybe when I do my water changes I can put the water into the uncycled ten gallon? And could I do the same with the fifty gallon, but add the filter cartridges one by one over the course of a few months?

And one more question, is changing out the filter cartridge once a month too often or not often enough?

Thanks,
Meg

 

[Miles_hot]

Good lord why are you throwing all that lovely media away once a month?

 

[Meggie :)]

That was what I was told by my lfs...besides they aren't that expensive I don't think...how often should I be changing them? I usually do it whenever I do my big water change and gravel vacuum once a month...I'm slowly but surely learning not to listen to my lfs...

So would that work putting the used cartridges into the new tanks and putting some of the water in there too?

 

[Aqua Tom]

Dont change your filter media at all, its a money making scam by the filter manufacturers, just give them a wash every three months or so in old tank water, NOT TAPWATER.

That was what I was told by my lfs...besides they aren't that expensive I don't think...how often should I be changing them? I usually do it whenever I do my big water change and gravel vacuum once a month...I'm slowly but surely learning not to listen to my lfs...

So would that work putting the used cartridges into the new tanks and putting some of the water in there too?

Using old water in a new tank wont help much as the bacteria you need are living in your filter. By all means use the old media in the new filter, you may even get an instant cycle.


Tom

 

[Meggie :)]

Wow that's gat news! Since the new 50 gallon needs four filter cartridges total could I just add them one by one over the course of a few months and then after that don't replace the ten gallon or the fifty gallon cartridges? Or would I only need to put one or two of the used cartridges is the fifty gallon?

Thank you so much for all your help! I'm definitely coming here instead of my lfs when I have a question! Geez!