Does Cloning Reduce The Bacterial Levels In The Mature Tank?

[Squid]

If the bio-level defines the amount of bacteria required in order to keep the tank stable with ammonia and nitrite at 0, does cloning have any negative impacts? If you were to run a new filter along side the old filter in order to clone it (which people have proved works), what is the impact on the overall bacteria levels. I thought the bacterial levels grew and diminished if there was not enough food for them (start dieing off very quickly), so if bacteria are seeded in the new filter as well, does that mean that the bacteria has just spread out rather than grown? In that case, once you remove the new filter for the new tank, are the mature tanks bacteria levels impacted in a negative way.

Or.. is the beauty of a mature tank that the levels of bacteria can sort out the shortfall in a shot period of time?

Any ideas..?

Squid..

P.S. im not actually doing this at the moment, so i won't be able to answer any questions about what filters i have.. its just a hypothetical question because i have too much time on my hands to think up rubbish..

 

[Miss Wiggle]

i think providing the tank is mature enough it'll just be able to cope with it.

like if you remove some of the media from a mature tank to start another tank, if the original tank is mature enough it won't go into a cycle because of it, so therefore it must be able to handle shortfall's in some way.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

while were on the randomish hypotheticals I've got one for you

(hope you don't mind the slight hijack squid)

say you have a cycled partly stocked tank and want to add more fish, and the fish you want to add are delicate so you need to be careful not to start a mini cycle. Would it help if before you added the new fish you very gradually increased feeding over 2/3 weeks, obviously not to a dangerous level but just enough that the bioload would increase a little, surley then the bacteria would develop a little further and more gradually so that when you added the new fish and then cut back feeding to normal levels the bacteria would already be able to cope with the extra fish and therefore no mini cycle.

would that work or would it just be too risky to the existing fish? just thought cos it's gradual it wouldn't mean you'd get a cycle just a slow increase in your filter bacteria and any change in water conditions would happen with your existing hardy fish not the new delicate ones.

 

[Majjie]

while were on the randomish hypotheticals I've got one for you ......

..........would that work or would it just be too risky to the existing fish? just thought cos it's gradual it wouldn't mean you'd get a cycle just a slow increase in your filter bacteria and any change in water conditions would happen with your existing hardy fish not the new delicate ones.

Bacteria grow quite fast - so I think if you've got a thriving colony in the tank it doesn't take much time at all - for a build up in numbers when the food supply increases or when the bacterial numbers are reduced by taking some out.

And as for your randomish hypothetical Miss Wiggle - it sounds good to me - as long as the overfeeding was only for a few days I don't see that it would cause any harm. You could change some water just before adding the new fish - to get rid of any nitrate build up. Might even try it myself ....

'Course your existing fish might be feeling a bit ansty and hungry - just when their delicate new companions arrive ....

 

[Squid]

Aye.. sounds reasonable, as long as the fish are not overfed too much, or they will end up on the Jeremy Kyle show and resent their mummy for making them fat chubbers and then introducing their slim tank mates who will ridicule them, and force them into a life of comfort eating, and so the spiral begins. Well hypothetically speaking.


Squid

 

[Torrean]

the bacteria doesn't grow it spreads out between the new filter and the old. so yes when you remove the new filter it will have a negative impact on the old filter but as said above bacteria grow quickly. I wouldn't worry much about a minicycle. If your concerned just monitor water stats for a week and do water changes as necessary.

wiggle. Yeah that sounds like it would work. I wouldn't even worry too much about overfeeding since the bioload in the tank is so much lower than capacity the bacteria should be able to cope with a sizeable overfeeding. You don't have to overfeed really. Just feed normally twice a day for a few weeks before the new fishes arrive and then once they arrive switch to a light feeding once a day for a few weeks and then resume your normal feeding regime.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

Aye.. sounds reasonable, as long as the fish are not overfed too much, or they will end up on the Jeremy Kyle show and resent their mummy for making them fat chubbers and then introducing their slim tank mates who will ridicule them, and force them into a life of comfort eating, and so the spiral begins. Well hypothetically speaking.


Squid

pmsl

yeah something like that!!