keane
Fish Herder
Hi folks 
,
Currently have a fluval 203 external canister running on my community tank and last week put an additional fluval 3+ to let it start "collecting" a bacteria colony.
As you are probably fed up of hearing by now...i am setting up a 55 us gallon Mbuna tank and I have a fluval 304 waiting to go on to it.
My 203 filter currently contains the following media: -
2 sponges
1 bio max
1 carbon
My plan to "instantly" cycle my new tank once finally set up (this weekend all going well!!), and also ensure my current community tank still has bacteria, is as follows: -
1. Transfer the 3+ over to the new tank. It should by then have gathered a reasonable bacteria colony.
2. Transfer one of the sponges in the 203 over to the 304
3. Transfer either the carbon or the biomax from the 203 to the 304
4. Place some gravel substrate from my community tank in a stocking and lay it on to the sand substrate.
5. Add 12 - 15 Mbuna (small to medium sized)
In doing all of the above I will then be left with: -
1. a 203 filter on my community tank (as it was initially) that still contains two bacteria full media (1 sponge and 1 of either the biomax or the carbon)
2. Gravel in my Community tank with colonised bacteria
3. Fluval 304 on new Mbuna filled tank with 2 bacteria colonised media (1 sponge and 1 other) and 1 uncolonised (either new carbon or new biomax)
4. Fluval 3+ on new tank with bacteria colony
5. Gravel on the sand substrate in new tank to let bacteria transfer across.
I apologise for droning on for so long but my questions after all of the above are: -
Will the 203 filter still have enough bacteria present to keep the community tank safe and fully cycled?
Will the new set up contain enough bacteria to prevent any cycle "problems"??
Your thoughts and advices on any of the above will be greatly appreciated.
steve 8)
,Currently have a fluval 203 external canister running on my community tank and last week put an additional fluval 3+ to let it start "collecting" a bacteria colony.
As you are probably fed up of hearing by now...i am setting up a 55 us gallon Mbuna tank and I have a fluval 304 waiting to go on to it.
My 203 filter currently contains the following media: -
2 sponges
1 bio max
1 carbon
My plan to "instantly" cycle my new tank once finally set up (this weekend all going well!!), and also ensure my current community tank still has bacteria, is as follows: -
1. Transfer the 3+ over to the new tank. It should by then have gathered a reasonable bacteria colony.
2. Transfer one of the sponges in the 203 over to the 304
3. Transfer either the carbon or the biomax from the 203 to the 304
4. Place some gravel substrate from my community tank in a stocking and lay it on to the sand substrate.
5. Add 12 - 15 Mbuna (small to medium sized)
In doing all of the above I will then be left with: -
1. a 203 filter on my community tank (as it was initially) that still contains two bacteria full media (1 sponge and 1 of either the biomax or the carbon)
2. Gravel in my Community tank with colonised bacteria
3. Fluval 304 on new Mbuna filled tank with 2 bacteria colonised media (1 sponge and 1 other) and 1 uncolonised (either new carbon or new biomax)
4. Fluval 3+ on new tank with bacteria colony
5. Gravel on the sand substrate in new tank to let bacteria transfer across.
I apologise for droning on for so long but my questions after all of the above are: -
Will the 203 filter still have enough bacteria present to keep the community tank safe and fully cycled?
Will the new set up contain enough bacteria to prevent any cycle "problems"??
Your thoughts and advices on any of the above will be greatly appreciated.
steve 8)
) 
