Seeding A New Tank

[mhancock]

I am going to use media from an established tank to kick start a new one to avoid cycling, do I need to put the old media alongside the new media so that the bacteria can transfer across, or can I simply squeeze the media into the new tank?

I am presuming that I need to physically add the old media and leave it there for a while?

Thanks,



Mark

 

[Salam]

Just add the old media on top of the new media. It will be a squeeze, but if you ever needed more media (let's say for a fry tank or a new tank), you will have spare old media. By that time the bacteria will have caught on to the new media, it will only take a few weeks.

 

[ZoddyZod]

what media are we talking about, sponges or ceramics? And is this an internal or external?

 

[mhancock]

what media are we talking about, sponges or ceramics? And is this an internal or external?

Sponge - I have an external filter that discharges into the hood of the tank where there are more sponges, it is one of these which I will take to the new tank which has an internal filter.

Just add the old media on top of the new media. It will be a squeeze, but if you ever needed more media (let's say for a fry tank or a new tank), you will have spare old media. By that time the bacteria will have caught on to the new media, it will only take a few weeks.

Thank you

 

[ZoddyZod]

take the current sponges and give them a really good squeeze near the inlet of the new filter......let the new filter suck up all the gunk. Should be nicely seeded then!

I've done this a couple of times successfully.

 

[mhancock]

take the current sponges and give them a really good squeeze near the inlet of the new filter......let the new filter suck up all the gunk. Should be nicely seeded then!

I've done this a couple of times successfully.

Thank you, will do the same

 

[Salam]

I didn't know squeezing was enough, thanks for that Zod. I just always add the sponge to the new filter and haven't had any problems ever. Plus I always have spare if I need a new tank or if someone local needs some media.

 

[ZoddyZod]

squeezing should be enough......but stock slowly and keep checking those important levels!

 

[Salam]

Thanks, will definitely keep it in mind for the future.