Will This Work?

[Meggie :)]

So my science teacher is going to set up a tank for the classroom and I am giving her my old gravel and old filter...I have one filter cartridge that I never used for it (and it doesn't work with my new filter)...I have had an established tank for almost 4 years...since I am giving her my baby balloon mollies (because I need someone to give them to anyway) I don't want the baby fish to die of ammonia poisoning or anything (cuz they are sooo sweet and i love 'em!)...I want to give it an instand cycle and I was thinking of using that filter cartridge I never used...could I just put that filter cartridge in my tank and just let it sit at the bottom of the tank for 2 weeks or so then transport it to the classroom in a bag of water to keep the bacteria alive? or should I just set up that second filter, the one I'm giving her, just for like 2 weeks or so and let it run normally and then transport the filter cartridge in water to my school (and bring the filter of course )...

so sorry this is such a long and confusing post, so i'll sum it up: should I give her the filter and cartridge after I have actually run it like i normally would in my tank for a few weeks or could i just set the filter cartridge on the bottom of my tank and let it soak up the bacteria? And if i were to do either of these, how long would I have to keep the filter sitting or running in my tank before bringing it to her to give it an instant cycle?

thanks so much!
Megan

 

[XeroTolerance]

Actually, either one of the options you just said would be fine. Except, instead of leaving it at the bottom of the tank put it in the filter even if it doesn't fit, anywhere is good. If it doesn't fit than I recommend just running the filter that was made for that cartridge. You even get some extra filtration in there too.

Like you said, make sure to put the filter media in a bag of tank water so it doesn't dry out.

 

[Meggie :)]

okay thanks! And also there isn't a lot of waterflow in this filter i might be giving her...it's top fin...that should explain everything...it won't have many fish in it...just a few of my balloon molly babies...we won't let them breed either. Is this filter okay or do we have to get another one with more waterflow?

 

[XeroTolerance]

You could get another if you want. I'm not sure if your worried about the oxygen levels. If that's the case you could get an air-stone to add oxygen and a little ripple in the water.

 

[Meggie :)]

I'm worried that it will mess up the tank somehow...if it doesn't have good waterflow does that mean it isn't doing it's job as a filter? or could my teacher use it?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

The best thing you could do is to fishless cycle the new filter for your teacher before giving it to her. Use your existing filter media to seed it (cut about 1/4 of the media away and put it into the new filter). Just stick it into the filter anyway that you can. Then, put a new cartridge into your filter with the remainder of your old cartridge. Cut it into smaller pieces as necessary to get it to all fit. This will seed your new cartridge and slowly pull the pieces of old filter media out... A little piece every week to month until it is all gone and the new cartridge is the only one that is left.


Putting the filter into the tank will have virtually no effect. The bacteria need the ammonia to be drawn over them and for oxygen to be there as well. The gravel also won't have much, if any, bacteria in it, unless you have an UGF system.

 

[Meggie :)]

okay i think she is just going to get a new one; it might be the same one that i have...so I can just give her the cartridge i have been running in my tank for a while and transport it in a water-filled bag...it will only be out of the tank and in the bag for maybe half an hour or so