Used Filters

[Miamia]

Hi All

I pick up my Trigon 190 at the weekend, it is second hand and has only been used for 7months from new, I know you should do a fishless cycle to set up a new tank but as my filters have been used will i have to do one or will it speed up my cycle (does that make scense??)

Should i ask the present owner when emptying the tank to keep the filter sponges wet or will they be ok to dry out for a coupe of days before i collect it on Saturday??

Sorry if theses are daft questions but i am very new to fish keeping on a large scale and really want to do it rigth.

Many thanks

Mia

 

[Tolak]

If the media dries out the nitrifying bacteria will die. If the tank will be down for a couple of days, bag the media just like fish, 1/3 water, 2/3 air. Add some frozen food, such as blodworms to the bag. The deteriorating frozen food will create ammonia, which will help to feed the bacteria.

You are sure to have some die off of bacteria, but a mature bacterial colony can double in 24 hours. If you don't have to do a traditional cycle, do a fishless cycle, as the bacteria that convert nitrite to nitrate seem to be a little more fragile than the ones that convert ammonia to nitrite.

 

[littlest]

yes definately ask the owner to keep the fiter media wet in used tank water (or dechlorinated water). Bacteria need water and a food source to survive, so also ask him to throw some fish food in there with it.

You didn't mention any fish, has this tank been without fish for some time? if so the filter wouldn't have had any food source (ammonia) so would probably have died off anyway.

If the bacteria has had a food source and remained wet, set the tank up as normal and add ammonia and test as normal. Hopefully your cycle will be minimal or even instant, but you should always add ammonia and test for a bit to check.

 

[Miamia]

yes definately ask the owner to keep the fiter media wet in used tank water (or dechlorinated water). Bacteria need water and a food source to survive, so also ask him to throw some fish food in there with it.

You didn't mention any fish, has this tank been without fish for some time? if so the filter wouldn't have had any food source (ammonia) so would probably have died off anyway.

If the bacteria has had a food source and remained wet, set the tank up as normal and add ammonia and test as normal. Hopefully your cycle will be minimal or even instant, but you should always add ammonia and test for a bit to check.

Thanks for the great advise, the tank is still in use with around 10 fish.

So to be clear, i should still do a fishless cycle but hopefully it will be quicker than starting from scratch (ie new filters) & to get the filters kept wet with fish food to keep up the bactria.

Many thanks once again it is very much appreciated.

Mia x

 

[littlest]

yeah, you will basically be starting off with a cycled filter, but there will be a bit of bacteria die-off due to the move, so you should add ammonia to the tank to check if the cycle is still good. Hopefully it should be pretty quick for the filter to be fully cycled again.

Are you taking the fish as well or is the owner keeping them?

 

[Miamia]

yeah, you will basically be starting off with a cycled filter, but there will be a bit of bacteria die-off due to the move, so you should add ammonia to the tank to check if the cycle is still good. Hopefully it should be pretty quick for the filter to be fully cycled again.

Are you taking the fish as well or is the owner keeping them?

Hi

Th owner is keeping the fish...

Mia

 

[darkwolf29a]

If the tank isn't going to be down long...you might get away with no cycle. I'd an eye on the water parms for a couple of days, just to be safe. But, you'll likely be okay.

 

[Miamia]

If the tank isn't going to be down long...you might get away with no cycle. I'd an eye on the water parms for a couple of days, just to be safe. But, you'll likely be okay.

Many thanks for the advise guys n girls

xx