Filter

[Chen jing kai]

How long to cycle a new filter in an already established tank? Thank you.

 

[Essjay]

If you leave a new filter in an established tank for 6 weeks it will grow some bacteria. The total number of bacteria in the mature tank will remain the same, some will be in the new filter and some in the old filter.

 

[Chen jing kai]

So leaving the filter there for 6 weeks is sufficient?is it possible to speed up the process?

 

[Sunnyspots]

If you leave a new filter in an established tank for 6 weeks it will grow some bacteria. The total number of bacteria in the mature tank will remain the same, some will be in the new filter and some in the old filter.

Does that mean if you remove the new filter to another tank you could 'uncycle' the original tank?

 

[PheonixKingZ]

There’s no way to tell how fast the filter will cycle, as it’s different in every tank.

You can use bottled bacteria to cycle your tank in less than a week. Also, using media from another already cycled tank, will “instant” cycle it.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Does that mean if you remove the new filter to another tank you could 'uncycle' the original tank?

Possibly- it might disrupt the cycle of the tank it was removed from, if that tank isn’t well established yet.

 

[Sunnyspots]

Possibly- it might disrupt the cycle of the tank it was removed from, if that tank isn’t well established yet.

Ooh. Very useful to know that. I have some swapping around to do.

 

[Chen jing kai]

There’s no way to tell how fast the filter will cycle, as it’s different in every tank.

You can use bottled bacteria to cycle your tank in less than a week. Also, using media from another already cycled tank, will “instant” cycle it.

Mine current one has been running for about a year now. So I can cycle it in less then a week if I use some bio materials from the current tank and put it in the filter?

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Mine current one has been running for about a year now. So I can cycle it in less then a week if I use some bio materials from the current tank and put it in the filter?

You should be able to. I cycled my 20g long in less than 24 hours, just by using media from my 10g.

 

[Essjay]

The bacteria in the established tank will colonise the new media but there is no way to know how much the old filter and the new filter have. When the new filter is removed, an established tank should make up the loss quickly but there may not be many bacteria in the new filter; probably not enough to support and tankful of fish. The tank that the new filter is moved to should either be stocked slowly as for a fish-in cycle, or a fishless cycle should be done, which will go a lot quicker as there will be some bacteria in the new filter.

However, if the established tank had a lot of live plants there won't be many bacteria in there and there will be hardly any in a new filter no matter how long it's left in there.

 

[Chen jing kai]

I am planning to let the filter run in the tank for about a week or two before changing the substrate and adding plants. Would that work?

 

[Essjay]

No, it's not long enough. The bacteria live tightly bound to surfaces, they don't move around. Only the few that become loosened will travel in the water to the other filter.
But, your last post sounds as though you want to change the filter on the established tank rather than move the new filter to a new tank.

Can you tell us what are your plans please.
Do you want to move the new filter into a brand new tank, or do you want to replace the filter in the established tank. It makes a big difference in the way to proceed.

 

[Chen jing kai]

No, it's not long enough. The bacteria live tightly bound to surfaces, they don't move around. Only the few that become loosened will travel in the water to the other filter.
But, your last post sounds as though you want to change the filter on the established tank rather than move the new filter to a new tank.

Can you tell us what are your plans please.
Do you want to move the new filter into a brand new tank, or do you want to replace the filter in the established tank. It makes a big difference in the way to proceed.

I want to replace the filter in the established tank. Going to use a Fluval C2 filter and put some of the bio matter in a compartment inside the filter. I am currently using an under gravel filter so going to use like some of the bacteria-ridden coral gravel.

 

[Essjay]

That is much easier. All you need to do is put as much old media inside the new filter as possible - sponges can be cut up to make them fit.
You don't need the carbon pads, leave the old media in their place permanently. After a couple of months, you can remove a bit of the old media and replace it with media that's supposed to be in the C2, then next month change another bit.

Once you have put as much media as you can into the new filter, check ammonia and nitrite every day to make sure they are staying at zero, then once you are certain they are you can think about chnaging the substrate.

 

[Chen jing kai]

Ok thank you