New Tank- Filter Media

[BecciMac1987]

Hi,
As title, got a new 70l tank that Im going to use to breed BN plecs. Im using one of the internal filters I have in my brackish tank, so will that give me an instant cycle?
Or cant I use it cuz it will have a bit of salt in?

 

[andywg]

It depends on the salinity in the brackish tank. If the SG is above about 1.005 then I would expect most of the bacteria to die from the change in salinity.

 

[backtotropical]

It depends on the salinity in the brackish tank. If the SG is above about 1.005 then I would expect most of the bacteria to die from the change in salinity.

Can't you 'acclimatise' the bacteria back to fresh-water, Andy? or have the salt-water nitrifiers kicked in before that salinity is reached?

Just curious.

 

[andywg]

By acclimatising them it is hypothesised you are letting the different salinity bacteria die at a rate equal(ish) to the growth of bacteria at the new salinity, so any acclimatisation will likely take the same amount of time as a new cycle. Salinity needs to be moved slowly in brackish/marine tanks for the sake of the bacteria, not the fish.

 

[backtotropical]

Very interesting Andy. Thanks.

So you are saying that it is a different species of bacteria present as compared to fresh-water aquaria, even at a salinity of 1.005?

At what salinity do you expect the transition of bacteria types to start taking place?

 

[andywg]

From reading nmonks, it appears that once the specific gravity gets above 1.005 (quick note: salinity is measured in parts per thousand, the relative weight of water is noted as 1.005) you start to get different bacteria. I do recall reading that the AOB in marine conditions is different to FW. Nitrococcus springs to mind, but I may be well wide of the mark there.