Second hand filter media.

[L777]

Hi,

I'm after some opinions with regard to a rather nice dilemma I'm facing this weekend.

A friend of mine has a 1000 liter lake Malawi tank which he is shutting down and converting to marine this coming weekend which I'll be helping him with. We're replacing his current filters (2 x 2080 pro 3) with a large sump and I'm buying those filters from him. He hasn't got any issues with fish health that we know of but there is a massive bio load on the tank with a lot of very large fish.

Conversely the tanks (2x 400 liter) I'm going to put the filters on are both quite lightly stocked but home to my absolutely favorite prized specimens.

I'm not sure which way to go.

On one hand I have very mature filters which could go straight on but which will have more bacteria than my systems can sustain in them which could end up dieing off en mass becoming anaerobic and in turn possibly toxic and could theoretically at least harbor bacteria or parasites that I don't want entering my systems.

On the other I could go through all the work of boiling the media and thoroughly cleaning the filter, pipes and everything and cycle it from scratch seeding it with the media from my current filters. But its a lot of work that I could really do without.

What would you do?

Chris.

 

[xingu]

Buy more fish as well

 

[bigbird]

i would not risk it, you would kick yourself if and I mean if something would go wrong. Clean and wait and reseed would be my best bett. cheers jk :thumbup:

 

[Breamlegend]

Lightly clean and use the new ones. It is no different that moving your own filters around. Unless you think your friends filters contain diseases which is unlikely if he hasn't had any problems.
Another option. Give him the media from the filters so he can seed his sump. Clean the filter sponges etc and use your media from your current filtration + new media if required.

 

[macvsog23]

The bucket cycle?
A bucket full of tank water from your tank run the filters on the bucket and do a daily water change on the bucket using water from your tank each time after a time it will have stabilized to the water parameters’ in your tank.
You can get a test strip from heating and ventilation suppliers’ that will show anaerobic bacterial growth it is used to check sealed systems were bacterial growth can cause problems.
Or pop up and see me and have some media from one of my tanks?

 

[L777]

Hi,

I've got plenty of mature media Bob but thanks for the offer all the same appreciate it.

I think I'm going to end up doing a bit of both what Breamlegend and Bigbird suggest.

So the plan then is to thoroughly clean the filter and pipes, and I mean clean, use my current media and top up with boiled second hand media.

As Bigbird says I'd really kick myself if anything went wrong especially as it would be pretty much down to sheer laziness if it did. I kind of knew all along that was the way to go but really not looking forward to the work, guess I was just looking for an easy way out.

Loving the way you think though xingu :lol::lol:

Chris.

 

[xingu]

Loving the way you think though xingu :lol::lol:

It is the only logical solution imo

 

[bigbird]

:clap: your name should be spock...logic ?

 

[L777]

:lol:

 

[L777]

Hi,

OK today's the day I'm going to be in the dog house later.

Tried to get the Mrs to go out shopping this afternoon but she's having none of it.

I've got to 'cook' 25 litres or so of fish poo covered ceramic media on her stove in her kitchen, that's going to sting a bit... Haven't had the gonads to tell her yet.....:whistle::whistle:

Chris.

 

[Stan]

Hi,

OK today's the day I'm going to be in the dog house later.

Tried to get the Mrs to go out shopping this afternoon but she's having none of it.

I've got to 'cook' 25 litres or so of fish poo covered ceramic media on her stove in her kitchen, that's going to sting a bit... Haven't had the gonads to tell her yet.....:whistle::whistle:

Chris.

Chis,
I feel your pain! Mrs. Stan gets nervous every time I bring home new wood or filters etc... So, did you come away unscathed?

 

[L777]

Hi,

Not entirely.

I'm getting a few sarcastic remarks (as expected) and it cost me £30 last night for a takeaway, because "I can't cook in that mess!!!!". :fr::fr:

Thing is it was a sight better than her cooking anyway. :lol::lol:

Will pay dearly in the weeks to come though no doubt....

Chris.

 

[Stan]

Thing is it was a sight better than her cooking anyway. :lol:

Ha Ha! I hope she isn't a member here!:whistle:

 

[bigbird]

a few weeks of pain is your gain :lol: