Adding a second filter to my tank

[gallowchris]

I just setup my 60gallon which has, Rams, Goby, Apisto, and Kribs so I'm hoping not to have any ammonia spikes.

Right now I have a Eheim 2213 full cycled on the tank and everything seems fine but the filter is on the edge of its limits. I got a Eheim 2215 with the tank with used media (so i have boiled the heck out of it, destroyed the bio but also anything bad).
I want to get the filter in the system just worried that it might cause a mini cycle. Any one have experience with this?

I was thinking of taking some (1/3max) of the current cycled media from the 2213 to help the new filter. Any thoughts or ideas on this?

Also I heard that if you over filter you might strip the goodness out of the water for your plants. I don't really believe that, again though any thoughts? I have a high planted situation in my tank.

Any tips would help me from loosing any livestock

 

[kdpuffer]

It wont cause a mini cycle as long as you keep the cycled filter running.

 

[foster53]

If I am reading your post right, your question is if you add another sterile filter will it cause an ammonia spike? The answer is no as long as the existing mature filter is left in service along with the new one. To answer your second question, depends on what filter media you use. Carbon would strip some needed elements from the water.

 

[Phranque]

It wont cause a mini cycle as long as you keep the cycled filter running.

Exactly....

Your existing filter has all the beneficial bacteria already built up in it to handle your bioload, you're just adding to it. If you want, you can take a small portion of your existing media from your running filter and put it in the new filter to help seed it quicker, but not really necessary..... it'll build on it's own eventually.

Now, what will likely cause a mini cycle is if/when you take the second filter away once it's esablished. Remember, you only have enough BB to handle your current bioload, and no more.... it's nature's balance. When you add a second filter, that biologic filtration will eventually become split between the two. If you take one of those away, the BB have to catch back up in the one remaining filter.

 

[Cynic]

Exactly....

Your existing filter has all the beneficial bacteria already built up in it to handle your bioload, you're just adding to it. If you want, you can take a small portion of your existing media from your running filter and put it in the new filter to help seed it quicker, but not really necessary..... it'll build on it's own eventually.

Now, what will likely cause a mini cycle is if/when you take the second filter away once it's esablished. Remember, you only have enough BB to handle your current bioload, and no more.... it's nature's balance. When you add a second filter, that biologic filtration will eventually become split between the two. If you take one of those away, the BB have to catch back up in the one remaining filter.

Interesting. I have the same scenario as gallowchris, I added a second filter to my main tank with the intention of removing the old filter after 40 days.

How would you suggest managing any mini-cycle that occurs? Just constant monitoring and water changes?

 

[Phranque]

Interesting. I have the same scenario as gallowchris, I added a second filter to my main tank with the intention of removing the old filter after 40 days.

How would you suggest managing any mini-cycle that occurs? Just constant monitoring and water changes?

Yup. Just do daily testing as if you were cycling, and you may have to do a few days of back-to-back water changes while the BB catch back up, that's all. All the bacteria are still established, but just need a little time to re-expand.

 

[gallowchris]

If I am reading your post right, your question is if you add another sterile filter will it cause an ammonia spike? The answer is no as long as the existing mature filter is left in service along with the new one. To answer your second question, depends on what filter media you use. Carbon would strip some needed elements from the water.

I don't use carbon at all in any of my systems, carbon bad bad for plants Only use it once and awhile for a couple days if I have a problem. C

Thank you for all the answers. This was more of a scenario of thinking that it shouldn't put a kink in the bio system but more of a double check. Thanks for putting my mind at ease.

Starting to think though that those to filters might be over kill on a current level for the tank. Might just take all my media from the 2213 and load the 2215.

 

[Phranque]

I'd run them both. IMO, there's no such thing as too much filtration.

 

[gallowchris]

I'd run them both. IMO, there's no such thing as too much filtration.

That was my original thoughts. Just worried abit about the current it will create. Rams and Gobys don't like fast water. Maybe I won't use the bar and let the water flow in from the tube

 

[Phranque]

I don't think there's too much to worry about in a 60 gal. If it were those two filters on a 29, that may be a different story....

 

[Witt2002]

I don't think there's too much to worry about in a 60 gal. If it were those two filters on a 29, that may be a different story....

Okay, you've caught my interest. I have a 29 gallon that I just added a second filter to last weekend. I added it because I felt my one carbon/floss filter was getting way too dirty too quickly. I'm definitely not overstocked and not feeding too much. I just checked both filters tonight and they both are way dirtier than I thought they would be for being a few days old. So, I wonder if I'm obsessing too much.

Any thoughts/suggestions on how to know if I have too dirty of a tank?

 

[Phranque]

I'm currently running a single Fluval 204 on a well-stocked 29 gallon, with filter floss in the bottom tray, and Biomax in the top two trays. Once a month I take it apart, rinse two of the four course sponges in tank water from a pwc (alternating each month), and change out approximately half of the filter floss each time. The floss can get pretty darn nasty, but that is your fine filtration, and is going to collect crap pretty quickly. So long as you flow doesn't appear to be suffering, your just fine.


Think of your floss as a K&N filter for a vehicle.... as it collects material, it actually becomes more efficient at collecting more material, until it hits that tipping point of becoming overclogged & restricting flow. Through trial, I've found that changing half floss per month works great for my filter.

 

[Witt2002]

I hadn't thought of that, but it certainly makes sense. I'll have to just start paying closer to the flow. Thanks for your response. I appreciate it!!!