Filter Media To Help

[DaveyG]

Hi all

I am just wondering - I have this tank which is completely cycled:

http/www.reef-one.com/biUbe-Pure

where the ceramic rocks at the bottom are all part of the filter where the bacteria live.

I now have a Fluval 200 and got the guy to throw in the Fluval 205 external filter which includes:

Fluval 205 - Filter Media included: - 2 x Foam, 2 x Carbon (70 g), 2 x Biomax (200 g)

and can be seen here:
http/www.seapets.co.uk/products/aquarium...?ref=googlebase

Can I take a few 'ceramic rocks' out of my fully cycled tank and put them into one of the Biomax compartments on the external filter to help cycle quickly? And if so, can I then just remove those ceramic rocks and put them back into the Biube?

Or is there potentially anything wrong with all of that?

Thanks

 

[fishnoob88]

good question, i want a answer also.

 

[waterdrop]

Sure, you can safely take up to 1/3 of the biomedia out of your mature filter to "seed" the new filter. The new Fluval 205 does not need the carbon, so that is a good physical spot to add your mature media (along with some other new biomedia.) Carbon is not needed on a regular basis.

You can just put other new biomedia in the mature filter to replace what was taken out, you don't need to bring back the stuff you moved. In both filters, the bacteria in the mature media will multiply and new bacterial cells will begin to populate the fresh biomedia, building biofilms on it an enlarging the ongoing colonies.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[DaveyG]

Sure, you can safely take up to 1/3 of the biomedia out of your mature filter to "seed" the new filter. The new Fluval 205 does not need the carbon, so that is a good physical spot to add your mature media (along with some other new biomedia.) Carbon is not needed on a regular basis.

You can just put other new biomedia in the mature filter to replace what was taken out, you don't need to bring back the stuff you moved. In both filters, the bacteria in the mature media will multiply and new bacterial cells will begin to populate the fresh biomedia, building biofilms on it an enlarging the ongoing colonies.

~~waterdrop~~

Thanks waterdrop

I just want to clear something up though (forgive my ignorance on this!)

The biomedia I have which is cycled is the gravel of the biube tank - a feature of the tank I think that the filter is also the substrate(?). So I can't take too much out as it acts as the gravel/substrate to the tank - nor can I replace it with something else because, well the tank would look a bit silly.

So, can I still take out some, replace one of the carbon compartments, cycle my new tank and put the biube media back?

Also - you mentioned I didn't need the carbon. I have 2 compartments containing carbon and I have read elsewhere that carbon isn't really needed as well. How comes this is the case? and after I cycle the tank and don't require the ceramic media from the biube (and put it back into the biube tank) what could I put into these 2 compartments? More biomedia?

I hope that makes sense, please let me know if I haven't exactly explained my 'situation'.

Thanks!

 

[hollanda88]

Sure, you can safely take up to 1/3 of the biomedia out of your mature filter to "seed" the new filter. The new Fluval 205 does not need the carbon, so that is a good physical spot to add your mature media (along with some other new biomedia.) Carbon is not needed on a regular basis.

You can just put other new biomedia in the mature filter to replace what was taken out, you don't need to bring back the stuff you moved. In both filters, the bacteria in the mature media will multiply and new bacterial cells will begin to populate the fresh biomedia, building biofilms on it an enlarging the ongoing colonies.

~~waterdrop~~

Thanks waterdrop

I just want to clear something up though (forgive my ignorance on this!)

The biomedia I have which is cycled is the gravel of the biube tank - a feature of the tank I think that the filter is also the substrate(?). So I can't take too much out as it acts as the gravel/substrate to the tank - nor can I replace it with something else because, well the tank would look a bit silly.

So, can I still take out some, replace one of the carbon compartments, cycle my new tank and put the biube media back?

Also - you mentioned I didn't need the carbon. I have 2 compartments containing carbon and I have read elsewhere that carbon isn't really needed as well. How comes this is the case? and after I cycle the tank and don't require the ceramic media from the biube (and put it back into the biube tank) what could I put into these 2 compartments? More biomedia?

I hope that makes sense, please let me know if I haven't exactly explained my 'situation'.

Thanks!

You could put loads more bio ceramics in the empty compartments along with some filter floss which takes out all the really tiny particels and polishes the water for you. Or you could leave one compartment empty so that you have increased flow (less blocking the flow through the canister) and you will then have room for carbon if you need it (you proberbly wont ever need it unless you are using medicines, and even then it only lasts a few days)

andrew

 

[oswoldy]

Hiya,
As long as you give the new filter enough time to build up its own colony before moving the stones back then I dont see why that would be a problem.

Carbon is used to remove meds etc from the water and only lasts a few days.

Hope that helps.

Mike

 

[DaveyG]

Hiya,
As long as you give the new filter enough time to build up its own colony before moving the stones back then I dont see why that would be a problem.

Carbon is used to remove meds etc from the water and only lasts a few days.

Hope that helps.

Mike

Ah ok - so I should remove both carbon pouches? (they're in the filter but it hasn't been turned on yet) and put some of my cycled media in there and then once cycled I can use those 2 compartments for other kinds of biomedia as holland88 suggested?

Then I guess I can store the carbon for if/when I need to get rid of meds from the tank?

 

[oswoldy]

I would remove it as its not needed. They dont last more than a few days and they cannot be cleaned and reused as the carbon will lose its effectiveness

Mike

 

[DaveyG]

Thanks everyone for your input.

One more quick question (really really noobie) - I've literally just filled my Fluval 200 with water and am about to add the conditioner to it - do I need the filter to be on?

The water is quite dirty from putting the gravel in (I did wash it beforehand) so wondered if it was best to let it all settle before turning the filter and heater on? My plans was to leave it overnight and turn them both on tomorrow but wasn't sure what effect this would have on the water whilst its in there with no flow?

 

[oswoldy]

Thanks everyone for your input.

One more quick question (really really noobie) - I've literally just filled my Fluval 200 with water and am about to add the conditioner to it - do I need the filter to be on?

The water is quite dirty from putting the gravel in (I did wash it beforehand) so wondered if it was best to let it all settle before turning the filter and heater on? My plans was to leave it overnight and turn them both on tomorrow but wasn't sure what effect this would have on the water whilst its in there with no flow?

I guess that depends on the current produced by your filter as if you let it settle and turn it on it may kick it all up again and your back to square one. If it were me I would turn the filter on after filling and conditioning the tank and leave the heater until the day before you want to start adding a source of Ammonia.

Dont forget higher temperatures mid 80s (Fahrenheit) can help speed up the cycling process, just dont forget to turn it back down afterwards.

Mike

 

[DaveyG]

Thanks everyone for your input.

One more quick question (really really noobie) - I've literally just filled my Fluval 200 with water and am about to add the conditioner to it - do I need the filter to be on?

The water is quite dirty from putting the gravel in (I did wash it beforehand) so wondered if it was best to let it all settle before turning the filter and heater on? My plans was to leave it overnight and turn them both on tomorrow but wasn't sure what effect this would have on the water whilst its in there with no flow?

I guess that depends on the current produced by your filter as if you let it settle and turn it on it may kick it all up again and your back to square one. If it were me I would turn the filter on after filling and conditioning the tank and leave the heater until the day before you want to start adding a source of Ammonia.

Dont forget higher temperatures mid 80s (Fahrenheit) can help speed up the cycling process, just dont forget to turn it back down afterwards.

Mike

Thanks again!

I added the water conditioner and turned the filter on. The dust had pretty much settled by the time I woke up this morning so it's looking good! When I get back tonight I'll turn the heater on and I need to get some ammonia from somewhere but at the moment work is pretty much dictating that I can't get to shops at all I just want to kick the cycle off somehow! Then I can add my existing cycled ceramic media!

 

[oswoldy]

Thanks everyone for your input.

One more quick question (really really noobie) - I've literally just filled my Fluval 200 with water and am about to add the conditioner to it - do I need the filter to be on?

The water is quite dirty from putting the gravel in (I did wash it beforehand) so wondered if it was best to let it all settle before turning the filter and heater on? My plans was to leave it overnight and turn them both on tomorrow but wasn't sure what effect this would have on the water whilst its in there with no flow?

I guess that depends on the current produced by your filter as if you let it settle and turn it on it may kick it all up again and your back to square one. If it were me I would turn the filter on after filling and conditioning the tank and leave the heater until the day before you want to start adding a source of Ammonia.

Dont forget higher temperatures mid 80s (Fahrenheit) can help speed up the cycling process, just dont forget to turn it back down afterwards.

Mike

Thanks again!

I added the water conditioner and turned the filter on. The dust had pretty much settled by the time I woke up this morning so it's looking good! When I get back tonight I'll turn the heater on and I need to get some ammonia from somewhere but at the moment work is pretty much dictating that I can't get to shops at all I just want to kick the cycle off somehow! Then I can add my existing cycled ceramic media!

Homebase sell Ammonia and they are open quite late.

Mike

 

[fishnoob88]

Ok , don't mean to thread jack here but I got a question on the same subject. I have a established 55gal with 2 aqua clear 110's on it. And I got a new 46 gal bowfront with 2 powerfilters. Can I just take my carbon pack from one of my ac 110's and stick in one of my powerfilters on the new 46 gal? The carbon pack contains some good bacteria? Also how long will it take for the bacteria to grow/spread onto my new media in the 46.

 

[fishnoob88]

anyone?

 

[oswoldy]

anyone?

Im not entirely sure how much bacteria a carbon filter is capable of holding, however im sure it would be enough to kick start another cycle.

Mike