Bio Media Question

[MrPhazeWun]

Hello all, first post.

I am redoing my Main Display Aquarium (72 Gallon Bowfront). I bought it used with fish and in the rush of things to make sure the fish survived, I didn't do things right, so I found a new home for the fish, and decided to redo my Main display.

I have a pair of Marineland Emperor 400s with Bio Wheel. My situation is that I don't want to lose the good bacteria built up on my bio wheels IF I don't have to. My question is, that if I left the bio wheels floating in my quarantine aquarium with one fish (10 Gallon and cycled), will the bio wheel still have the good bacteria, when putting it back in my main display? Any help is appreciated.

Answer to possible questions:

Under the circumstance I cannot just leave 50% of my water in my main display...I must drain it all.

 

[ktulu909]

while i am absolutely no expert myself,I have the same filter.

I would think that as long as you keep the biowheels damp with tank water you should be good to go.I would put a little tank water in a pair of ziplocs with the biowheels in each.

If im wrong someone chime in.

 

[librarygirl]

Should work if you put them in the tank. The problem with locking them in baggies would be lack of oxygen which bacteria need also. You could also put them in a holding container with some tank water and an air stone as long as the temperature wouldn't drop too drastically by the time you put them back into the tank. How long would it be in the QT tank? You might lose some bacteria if there were a good number of fish in the larger tank and then in the QT tank there's just one fish the bacteria will adjust down to the tank level but that could take a bit of time, a week or so maybe. You should still have some bacteria left on them though unless you totally starve it of an ammonia source (e.g. fish) for a long while. As you restock the tank just do it slowly and monitor parameters are you go.

 

[MrPhazeWun]

Thank you for feedback, I just wanted to know the best approach...I may lose some bacteria, but I'll be okay. The main display going through major reconstruction and I'm doing it patiently for the sake of a natural environment for the fish. Either way thanks for feedback.

 

[mohican]

By keeping the biowbeels wet, u will be ok. That's the point of the bio-wheel.