External Filter Help And Advice On Running & Cycling

[InsaneHOH]

Hey all
Need some advice if possible please!

I am currently running a well established community tank - Juwel Vision 260 with the juwel filter
i bought a new Fluval 405 external filter today, with plans to add this to the tank to run alongside the juwel filter
which i will do tomorrow

i also am just setting up a malawi cichlid tank in a Juwel Rio 180.
currently empty, just getting all the bits together first, including having a custom cabinet made for it, before i fill it up with water
should be about 2 weeks before i'm ready to fill it up,
also when its ready i will be buying another Fluval 405 filter to add to it,


But what i was wondering, if i add my new 405 to my current tank tomorrow
and then in 2 weeks when i fill the rio 180 tank up with water, and buy the other 405
could i then add the 2 week old 405 one to the rio 180 to help boost its cycling, and obviously put the newer one back in the other tank, so it will be like starting from new again
would this help with cycling the rio? i was also going to do a water change from the vision 260 and use this water to start filling up the rio 180
i also have another smaller juwel rekord i will be getting rid of, and use all the water from that, so in end i should only be filling the rio 180 up with half fresh water & half used water

Hopefully that all makes sense?
any advise greatly appreciated!

Oh and finally if what i have planned to do makes sense, will it effect the vision 260 in anyway, by taking the filter out and putting a new one in again, remembering it will still be running its internal filter

many thanx
Ben

 

[Gvilleguy]

I don't know how fast your local water cycles, but, yes, it will certainly give you a head start on cycling the 180 to let it simmer in the 260 for a couple weeks. And I imagine it would not have time to develop bacteria to the point where the 260 will be affected when you remove it.

Any particular reason you want to use the water change water for the new tank? The great majority of helpful bacteria are simply in the media of the filter, so it seems to me that using the old water is just going to add possibly some dirt and debris to your new tank. Fresh dechlorinated water should be just fine to use in a new tank setup. (perhaps more experienced users can comment on the topic of using established tank water versus new - I might have missed something along the line of trolling this forum)

 

[InsaneHOH]

I don't know how fast your local water cycles, but, yes, it will certainly give you a head start on cycling the 180 to let it simmer in the 260 for a couple weeks. And I imagine it would not have time to develop bacteria to the point where the 260 will be affected when you remove it.

Any particular reason you want to use the water change water for the new tank? The great majority of helpful bacteria are simply in the media of the filter, so it seems to me that using the old water is just going to add possibly some dirt and debris to your new tank. Fresh dechlorinated water should be just fine to use in a new tank setup. (perhaps more experienced users can comment on the topic of using established tank water versus new - I might have missed something along the line of trolling this forum)

Hi mate,
Great thanx for the info!

With regards to the water, Not sure really, Just advice that was recommend to me by someone, I did wonder the same thing about the dirt
although i was told to take the water from the top half of the tank, rather than around the bottom>?
maybe its just something i dreamed up one night! lol


Thats why i love this forum, always get good advice on what to do!

 

[Gvilleguy]

Someone else will probably chime in. I don't think you need the other tank's water. But it is true that if you only siphoned from the top it would not pick up any debris.