[ceech]

How long will it take my new filter to establish some good bacteria if i have it in my already cycled tank running? my plan is to leave it for 2 weeks then take 150 litres of water and the new filter to setup my new 720 litre tank also gonna add some tetra safe start an ideas on filter ?[IMG]http://i567.photobucket.com/albums/ss119/ceech1/DSCF2577-1.jpg[/IMG]

 

[Frazee86]

i've read anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks so the longer the better probably

 

[brinkles]

I've taken well established filters off of old tanks, added them and as much old tank water as I could spare, and never needed to cycle the new tank. Since you are only running this filter for two weeks, and the new tank is so much bigger, I might expect some ammonia, but nothing like an all new tank. I just set up a new tank and new filters, and I "seeded" the HOB filters with gravel from the undergravel filters on an old tank, and filled it partway with old tank water. I got detectable ammonia for a few days, nothing since.

 

[ceech]

perfect thanks for comments i will be watching the levels very closely for the first while will keep a log and inform as to how it goes thanks again for advise

 

[AZcichlidfreak]

If you can actually seed the new filter with some established media it will help since the BB will be in contact with the new media, and be able to grow and spread quicker and easier. Also there is really no need to use water from your existing tank since there is very little BB in the water. The only thing you will be moving with the water will be nitrates. IMHO your better off starting with fresh clean water.

 

[brinkles]

The reason I've used old water is because compared to tap, the temp is correct, and there isn't chlorine to worry about removing. There may also be enough BB to help start the filter, but I think you are right, no need to put nitrates in the new tank! I think I'll just fill it slowly, and let the heater keep up.

 

[M&S]

I ran my filter for two weeks on my established tank, and used some old water from that tank to part fill the new tank, and whislt my ammonia is zero my nitrites are still through the roof :roll:

I expected there to still be some cycling involved but it's just not happening very quickly at the moment. Wish I'd never got this test kit or tried a new way of doing things (to me) as I never have in teh past and have never had a problem with starting a tank/fish loss.

Hopefully nitrites will drop soon as there are some angels and plecs available locally but they are selling quickly

 

[fox]

Is that filter a 2080? If so it holds plenty of media and should start to establish a colony of BB in the two weeks you have it on the mature tank.

What type of filtration are you using now, I ask since the mature tank only needs so much BB and to get a good jump start back off with some of the existing filtration and it should colonize in the new media.

I did a swap using a 2080 and SafeStart with excellent results without adding existing tank water. If you can add any existing 'scaping that would help out also.

 

[ceech]

i am adding some of the rocks from the tank so i am the filters in the other tank are 2 x 1000 l/h amtops ,i have put some of the sponge from them into the enheim filter now so lets hope that in 2 weeks it will be good when also using some safe start .i am gonna take half of the mediad from the amtop for my new one so it should seed fat i hope but i think if i had 4 fikters on my 260 it would be complete overkill for now lol.