Seeding New Tank With Filter Media From Old Tank?

[wilchil64]

We are getting our new 180 litre Jewel on Saturday. The plan is to move all the fish across as soon as possible from our 125 litre, as we hope to make some changes to it - when we bought it from Pets R Us (you know who I mean!) they sold us very big sharp gravel, actually it's small pieces of gemstones, in our naivety we thought it would look nice, but now of course know it's too sharp and coarse for the fish, so we want to change it for fine gravel. Also we like the natural look with plants, rocks, bogwood ... so need something natural coloured.

So ..... if we put the filter from the 125 litre Fluval Roma tank in alongside the new filter in the Jewel 180 Rio, complete with foam etc., and also use say 50% of the water from the 125 litre tank to fill the 180 litre new tank, can we move the fish across fairly soon, maybe one sort every couple of days? Obviously keeping an eye on ammonia, nitrite levels.

Thanks.

 

[Pleccy]

Your plan sounds pretty good, remember to cut back on feeding for a few days. You should be able to move the fish over fairly quickly.

 

[wilchil64]

Your plan sounds pretty good, remember to cut back on feeding for a few days. You should be able to move the fish over fairly quickly.

How quickly do you think I can move them over? The guy in the LFS suggested setting up new 180 litre tank, leaving to stand for 4 days or so, then putting in squeezing out the old filter from the 125 litre tank into the new filter and then leaving another couple of days before adding the fish.

He said the bacteria wouldn't die that quickly but that goes against what I've read on the forum. hence why I decided I'd put in the whole filter from the old 125 litre tank plus 50% of the water, and also I'll be moving across a piece of planted bogwood - at least temporarily until I've cleaned out and changed the gravel etc in the 125 litre tank. I'm hoping this will all hold enough bacteria to start moving the fish straight away more or less. What do you think?

 

[Tolak]

The filter media is what cycles, and holds nearly 100% of your nitrifying bacteria. Decorations, substrate if you are not running ugf, and the tank itself hold a fraction of a percent.

If you put enough old tank water in the new tank to fill it half way you will in effect be doing a 50% water change. Fill it with dechlorinated water, add the filter, and the fish.

The filter media is supporting the bio load it has been in the smaller tank, and has no idea what size tank it is running on. To be safe, fast the fish for 24 hours before the move, and feed lightly for the next week. Less food means less waste produced, less load on the nitrifying bacteria. This helps to insure that there are no ammonia or nitrite spikes.

This must be the week for tank switching & setups, I've typed basically the same info several times. Funny thing is I'm off work, getting ready to do some of the same myself. Tank drilling, fish switching, water line running, fun stuff.

 

[wilchil64]

The filter media is what cycles, and holds nearly 100% of your nitrifying bacteria. Decorations, substrate if you are not running ugf, and the tank itself hold a fraction of a percent.

If you put enough old tank water in the new tank to fill it half way you will in effect be doing a 50% water change. Fill it with dechlorinated water, add the filter, and the fish.

The filter media is supporting the bio load it has been in the smaller tank, and has no idea what size tank it is running on. To be safe, fast the fish for 24 hours before the move, and feed lightly for the next week. Less food means less waste produced, less load on the nitrifying bacteria. This helps to insure that there are no ammonia or nitrite spikes.

This must be the week for tank switching & setups, I've typed basically the same info several times. Funny thing is I'm off work, getting ready to do some of the same myself. Tank drilling, fish switching, water line running, fun stuff.

Thanks, that's exactly what I needed to know. How long would I have to run the old filter in the new tank before the new filter can support the bio load on its own and I can put the old filter back in the old tank?

 

[Tolak]

About 4 weeks. Again, the same fast & light feeding routine applies. You will be removing some of the nitrifying bacteria by removing the smaller filter, but an established colony of nitrifying bacteria is capable of doubling in 24 hours. The fasting & light feeding is more of a safety measure, I personally don't do it, but have plenty of backup filters & tanks.