New Sponge Filter

[mezzic]

hi all i brought a new sponge filter for my second tank as the one that came with it was really noisey, i had it running in my main tank for a month before putting it in the new second tank, i thought that the sponge filter would have been primed with bacteria from the main tank, however i've just lost two guppys from my main tank i took an ammonia and nitrite reading and it looks like its cycling , so just a couple of questions to refresh my memmory

1 do i need the heater on as theres no fish in the tank?
2 do i take a reading everyday if ammonia or nitrite are present i do a 50%water change?
3 do i need to do anything else?

cheers in advance
merrick

 

[mattlee]

hi all i brought a new sponge filter for my second tank as the one that came with it was really noisey, i had it running in my main tank for a month before putting it in the new second tank, i thought that the sponge filter would have been primed with bacteria from the main tank, however i've just lost two guppys from my main tank i took an ammonia and nitrite reading and it looks like its cycling, so just a couple of questions to refresh my memmory

1 do i need the heater on as theres no fish in the tank?
2 do i take a reading everyday if ammonia or nitrite are present i do a 50%water change?
3 do i need to do anything else?

cheers in advance
merrick

if its still cycling then the bacteria will grow at higher temps but not over 30C, i would set it at 29C. dont forget that you will need to add an ammonia source if there are no fish present. if fish are present then daily water changes will be required for the health of the fish...