How To Use Donated Filter Media

[Yadeezy]

Hi all,

I'm hoping to jump start my cycle with some mature filter media.

Please can someone point out what qualifies as a good source of the right bacteria... gravel/sponges etc... and how I could get that in to my tank.

I have an internal filter which I dont think I can open? I've read I could get some gravel and put them in a stocking to make a ball?

Any guides on this at all?

many thanks

 

[Aquascaper]

Sponges are best and you will be able to open your filter somehow I can assure you and replace the media in it with the donated sponges. What make is it?

Gravel in a stocking works but not half as well as sponges.

Always remember to keep the donated media wet at all times during transit to protect the bacterial colony.

 

[Yadeezy]

Thanks for the reply Aquascaper!

It says Shenzhen Layal aquarium ltd QD-1900F

Was a freebie with the tank I was given.

Could I ring out my friends sponge filter to a bag of their tank water and empty it to my own?

 

[Aquascaper]

The bottom part should clip off and inside will be the filter sponges.

Wringing out the mature sponges won't do a great deal (it will have some effect but not much). It would be better if you could take some of the actual sponge, maybe swop some old sponge of theirs with some of your new sponge? As long as you don't remove more than 1/3 of their sponges their tank should be fine and that will be enough to seed your new filter.

 

[Yadeezy]

Cheers mate, do I have to keep the filter wet? Also how long can it be switched off for?

 

[Aquascaper]

Exposure to air will slowly kill off beneficial bacteria so it's always best to keep the filter media wet. The bacteria rely on water being passed over them to do their thing so turning off a filter for an hour while doing maintenance is fine but the longer it's off the greater the likelihood of the bacteria starting to die off as well.

 

[Yadeezy]

Amazing thanks!

 

[Yadeezy]

Just tried to crack it open - no luck... time to get a new one? really want to get my new tank rolling

 

[Aquascaper]

Never heard of a filter that you can't remove the media from but if it's that hard to work out how to open it I'd get another

 

[Yadeezy]

Ha! thanks.. the thing is like one unit which doesn't budge!

 

[Aquascaper]

Yeah, I Google'd it when you first mentioned it and figured the lower black bit would clip off as that's where the filter media would be but seems it doesn't

 

[Yadeezy]

I've sussed it! you were right, bottom clips off. It all seems so obvious now, get some filter from a friend, stick it in your own filter. :0)

Thanks a million!

 

[Aquascaper]

Great news, happy cycling