Cultering Biowheel 4 new tank in already established tank

[lmw80]

I bought an eclipse explorer today...it's a 2 gallon tank with a biowheel in it. This is going on my desk at work, as my betta has grown too big for the 1 gallon vase I've kept him in. When I got home from the store today around 3pm, I put the biowheel from the new tank into my 10 gallon tank. Right now it's just floating in there. I am thinking of leaving it for maybe 2 days....do you think that will culture the biowheel enough? It is also the same size as the one in my mini-penguin filter...I was thinking of maybe putting the new biowheel in the filter and floating the cultered biowheel instead....what do you guys think?

 

[Allivymar]

Unfortunately 2 days won't be enough. It generally takes around 2 weeks for media to be colonised. You could just add the new wheel to the new tank, and squish the hell out of the 10g filter media over it; that might add enough bacteria to the new tank. With the biowheel on the 10g that shouldn't have any real serious effect on the 10g colonies.

 

[lmw80]

Ok, today is officially 2 weeks that the biowheel from the new 2 gallon tank has been floating in my 10 gallon. I plan to set up the tank Tuesday (going on my desk at work, as my betta has outgrown his 1 gallon vase). I am hoping this 2 weeks has been enough.

A side question....I know that a 2 gallon tank is too small to put another fish in it, ie an oto...I was thinking maybe 2 ghost shrimp. Some bettas may eat ghost shrimp, but I question if mine will....he won't eat flake food, rarely touches brine shrimp...he will only eat the betta pellets..he's very picky. Do you guys think I should chance it with a ghost shrimp or 2?

 

[Allivymar]

I'd expect it to be fine; it won't have as many bacteria as one that was in a water flow, but its only for one small fish.

I'd definitely try the ghost shrimp. If he decides his tankmates are yummy, well, they're good food LOL

 

[patryuji]

Not only the water flow issue but if the wheel doesn't alternate between water and air the amount of bacteria will probably be quite low dispite the surface area since there will be less oxygen on the wet part compared to an actively spinning bio-wheel.

Buy really big ghost shrimp.