How Long

mr130gallon · Nov 4, 2009

i put the filter i will be using in my 130 gallon, so that the media gets the bacteria in it, how long do i have to wait until i can move it over, with my kribs?

mr130gallon · Nov 5, 2009

come on someone has to know

fatheadminnow · Nov 5, 2009

At the very least wait one(1) month. Idealy 6 weeks would be the best.

-FHM

mr130gallon · Nov 5, 2009

ok, i hope that the kribs dont start breeding until the filter is ready.

OldMan47 · Nov 6, 2009

If you have the new tank set up, put the new filter on it and seed it from your existing tank. After it is seeded, do a fishless cycle on the new tank. I find I can do a clone that way in about a week. My experience with trying to cycle a filter by running it with another filter is spotty at best.

mr130gallon · Nov 7, 2009

why would it be spotty? wouldnt the second filter (wich will be moved) get the bacteria too? and if i put it in treated water with fish right away that sounds like it would work to me(thats why im an amateur i guess)

OldMan47 · Nov 7, 2009

The second filter does not see the first one. You are basically doing a fishless type of cycle without being able to measure the effects on the filter bacteria and with almost no more bacteria source to seed the new filter than you have in a new tank. It is the reason that you never will know if the new filter is ready until you try to use it. A cloned filter is very different. It has its own tank that you can monitor and confirm the cycle. It starts with a major bacterial population that you are just trying to build bigger. It is much more reliable as a way to get things started.
I leave spare filters running on established tanks for months on end because I expect them to eventually cycle and be useful if I need them. It is not because I expect them to cycle quickly.