Hi all. Quick question. I have a new tank with new filter. I plan to mature the new filter in an existing tank then move it over when I set the new tank up end of January. Just need to know. To I have to add a biological supplement or will it cope by itself.
Maturing filters
- Thread starter PlecoLad-UK
- Start date
Yup agree with that. The other option would be to also add some live bacteria or even better some filter material from your old filter, but if you use the bucket system, make sure you add the heater as well. I would give it 7-14days. cheers jk :thumbup:
possible stupid question ,but
ok , got a bucket, add some tank water from wc , add filter... and some biomedia from established filter if possible, add heater, wait aprox 2 weeks, filter should be seeded. Did I get that right ? no need for a fish in there to keep things going ? would like to know for possible future . Thanks , Georgie:dk:
ok , got a bucket, add some tank water from wc , add filter... and some biomedia from established filter if possible, add heater, wait aprox 2 weeks, filter should be seeded. Did I get that right ? no need for a fish in there to keep things going ? would like to know for possible future . Thanks , Georgie:dk:
You need some source of ammonia for the filter to feed on. The beneficial bacteria needed for the biological cycle are living creatures. No food & they'll die.
Please understand this is not a scientific explanation just a fact based on experience and observation.
A new filter will turn the Ammonia (Fish Pee, waste ECT) in to Nitrite this will enter the tank and then enter the seeded filter.
The seeded filter will have very little chance of dealing with the extra nitrite as it has balanced to deal with the amount of nitrite it is producing.
Aerobic will go anaerobic and bingo.
It is just like adding extra fish.
A new filter will turn the Ammonia (Fish Pee, waste ECT) in to Nitrite this will enter the tank and then enter the seeded filter.
The seeded filter will have very little chance of dealing with the extra nitrite as it has balanced to deal with the amount of nitrite it is producing.
Aerobic will go anaerobic and bingo.
It is just like adding extra fish.
Hi all,
I think both Lorne and Bob are correct. To answer Georgie's (Zeebo) question, I do think the filter will be seeded, but probably it won't have a sufficient quantity of bacteria in it (as Lornek suggests) to deal with the addition of ammonia from a large fish load.
However I've found that you can do exactly what Zeebo suggests in a planted tank, if you leave the tank for at least 3 months to stabilise (with heater and filter, but no fish), you can then treat it as a cycled tank, even though you haven't added any ammonia to it.
cheers Darrel
This is what I do, I keep a "spare" sponge filter in all the tanks, it gives you some back up if you have filter failure and allows you to set up a new tank more quickly.
I think both Lorne and Bob are correct. To answer Georgie's (Zeebo) question, I do think the filter will be seeded, but probably it won't have a sufficient quantity of bacteria in it (as Lornek suggests) to deal with the addition of ammonia from a large fish load.
However I've found that you can do exactly what Zeebo suggests in a planted tank, if you leave the tank for at least 3 months to stabilise (with heater and filter, but no fish), you can then treat it as a cycled tank, even though you haven't added any ammonia to it.
cheers Darrel
Just to point out my bucket system is using old tank water from a water change every time I do a water change I dump a bit in the bucket so it is getting Ammonia in that way.
I think that a filter will balance to the amount of fish in the tank so a filter in a tank with 10 fish will struggle to work if you add 10 more fish in one go.
If I have set a new tank up I fill it with water from my water cganges and do a top up using old tank water every few days.
I think that a filter will balance to the amount of fish in the tank so a filter in a tank with 10 fish will struggle to work if you add 10 more fish in one go.
If I have set a new tank up I fill it with water from my water cganges and do a top up using old tank water every few days.
Okay, but you're not increasing the amount of fish in the tank, so how can the amount of ammonia/nitrite entering the system change? The same amount of fish will produce the same amount of ammonia which will in turn be converted into the same amount of nitirite. I guess if the ammonia gets broken down faster than the nitirite level will increase faster thus a higher level of nitrite at a given time. Sorry, just answered my own question. Never thought of it this way. Thanks.
Hi all,
The other thing to think about is that the NH3 - NO2 - NO3 conversion is an oxygen intensive process, so that it is worth increasing aeration during the period when the filter is cycling.
cheers Darrel
The other thing to think about is that the NH3 - NO2 - NO3 conversion is an oxygen intensive process, so that it is worth increasing aeration during the period when the filter is cycling.
cheers Darrel
Spot on the numbers after the NO are the reason it all works by adding oxygen and the way it bonds.
Hi all,
NH3 + CO2 + 1.5 O2 → NO2- + CO2 + 0.5 O2 → NO3-
This is often the problem where you have a large fish load, or add more fish, the oxygen inflow into the filter is insufficient to complete nitrification, and the filter may then be running at a fraction of its capacity.
More details here: <http://plecoplanet.com/?page_id=829>
cheers Darrel
Yes, that is right. For every molecule of NH3 that is converted to NO3, you need 2 molecules of oxygen (O2):
NH3 + CO2 + 1.5 O2 → NO2- + CO2 + 0.5 O2 → NO3-
This is often the problem where you have a large fish load, or add more fish, the oxygen inflow into the filter is insufficient to complete nitrification, and the filter may then be running at a fraction of its capacity.
More details here: <http://plecoplanet.com/?page_id=829>
cheers Darrel
Indeed I always tell people when I sell fish not to add a lot of fish and the reply most morons give me is "I have a fantastically big filter" just shows they cant understand basic fish keeping I do try and explain but the eyes glaze over and they start to mutter about having to watch "Fantasy dance factor" or some thing.
Seems the big dog people are all over the place.
Sadly we are no longer allowed to remove them
Seems the big dog people are all over the place.
Sadly we are no longer allowed to remove them