How Long to Seed New Tank

[theotheragentm]

I moved my fish over from my 10-gallon to my 55-gallon tank and moved the filter along with it. I also have my XP3 running now. This should mean bioload should not be a problem, correct? If so, how long should I wait before removing the original filter? The new tank is quite understocked. Would it even be possible for a seeding not to be necessary with a tank five times as large, or does it shorten seed time?

[Lonewolfblue]

Not sure how well a filter from a 10G would do on a 55G. Would probably be better to place the media from the old filter into the XP3, and allow the bacteria to build up in the XP3. Place the old media in the bottom so that the water flow through the filter would hit the old media first, and allow the bacteria to migrate to the XP3 media. If it were me, I'd do the old media under the sponges, or in between the sponges in the bottom basket.

[docrak]

Originally Posted by theotheragentm

I moved my fish over from my 10-gallon to my 55-gallon tank and moved the filter along with it. I also have my XP3 running now. This should mean bioload should not be a problem, correct? If so, how long should I wait before removing the original filter? The new tank is quite understocked. Would it even be possible for a seeding not to be necessary with a tank five times as large, or does it shorten seed time?

I did the same thing you did a while back going from a 29 to a 60 gallon. I ran my smaller HOB on the 60 as a helper to my canister filter. It was a short cycle of about 2 to 3 weeks if I recall correctly. I noticed some ammonia when the tank was about a week old. The level never got above 1 ppm. The ammonia stage didn't last long and moved right into nitrites.

I recently cycled a new 55 by taking one media tray from my old canister and putting it in my new filter. The cycle was almost instantaneous. No ammonia or nitrite spike. In this case that was a significant amount of media with bacteria transferred. Your going from a 10 to a 55 may take some time. Be patient and let nature take its course.

Try to get your hands on some Biospira, it will help you cycle your tank very quickly.

[niks93gt]

I'd do what lonewolfblue says... matter of fact I will be doing that in a few days. I'm picking up my 75 gallon in a couple of hours and will be seeding my xp3 with filter material from one of my 10 gallon tanks. This should cause the tank to be cycled instantly as long as you don't throw a full bioload in right away. I plan on adding about 8 fish every other week till I'm fully stocked.

Nik

[theotheragentm]

Yeah, even with no additional bioload and the original filter being oversized, that sounds better so all the water is filtered through the XP3 and the bacteria can "jump ship" from the old filter media.

[hamburgler]

I just transferred a 15g-->55g. From school at that. Beyond the fact that it was a huge pain the water params are perfect in the 55 just like in the 15.
I had a whisper 30 on the 15 and added a submersible filter to the 55 to aid the whisper and the water remains perfect.

I added all substrate, media, and 70% of the water from the 15 into the 55.

[docrak]

Originally Posted by niks93gt

I'd do what lonewolfblue says... matter of fact I will be doing that in a few days. I'm picking up my 75 gallon in a couple of hours and will be seeding my xp3 with filter material from one of my 10 gallon tanks. This should cause the tank to be cycled instantly as long as you don't throw a full bioload in right away. I plan on adding about 8 fish every other week till I'm fully stocked.

Nik

What kind of filter are you running on the 10 gallon that the media would be compatible with a canister filter? I would think that transferring a small amount of media to a canister filter would benefit the cycling process, but I think there would still see an ammonia and nitrate spike. Keep us informed how this goes I'd be interested in seeing the results.

[theotheragentm]

The AquaClear filters have media for bacteria to grow on, and the XP3 has a section to put this same type of media.

[docrak]

Originally Posted by theotheragentm

The AquaClear filters have media for bacteria to grow on, and the XP3 has a section to put this same type of media.

That's what I though. I wasn't sure if you were using an Aquaclear or not. Some of those other HOB filters with their stupid cartridge filters would be almost impossible to use to seed a new filter. You still don't have much volume of media unless you were using a 50 or a 70. I know the media from my 110 is barely 10 percent of what I put in my canister filter. I guess if you used the sponge in some way also that might help. I don't think it would be an instantaneous cycle. I could be wrong. Like I said let us know how it goes.

Thanks