Speeding up Cycling by "Loading" new filter? - Aquarium Advice

JoshA. · 07-24-2005, 04:42 AM

I was wonderng if I could speed up the cycling process for my new tank by running my new filter on my old tank for a few days?

I also could transfer water, use Bio Spira, and scrape my Bio wheel. Would ths be enough to support the load of a meduim sized Jack Dempsey and a larger Pleco in a 90G?

greenmaji · 07-24-2005, 04:56 AM

If you ran your new filter on the old tank for a couple of weeks (more time then nessisary [acronym:34c3eaf1d8="In My Experience"]IME[/acronym:34c3eaf1d8] but would be average advise) that alone should do to get your cycle started..

JoshA. · 07-24-2005, 05:15 AM

Yes, but I was hoping to cut the time down to days, since I will be heading out to school shortly

Not looking forward to going back, but I don't wanna have to cycle my tank there, and then turn around and run back to get the fish....

greenmaji · 07-24-2005, 05:24 AM

ok.. heres the advise I would give.. the bacteria will double in colony size given the proper place to grow in 24 hours.. so if your new filter can hold twice the bacteria (the bio-media has twice the surface area, ether by size or by porosity; or a combination of both) as your current filter on the tank then it would only need 2 days to be colonized.. Hope this Helps..

JoshA. · 07-24-2005, 05:30 AM

Awesome!! I have two days to spare.... I didn't mean to sound pushy, sorry if I came across that way. My new filter can easily hold twice that, Im sure. Thanks for the help!!

greenmaji · 07-24-2005, 05:52 AM

I would try to give it enough time to completly colinize though.. ie if it has more then double the area try to give it more time then 48 hours.. but if it has less then double then 48 hours will be a good amount of over-kill [acronym:23d74a65cf="In My Experience"]IME[/acronym:23d74a65cf].
dont worry about it.. I usually tell people about the doubleing and get others advising against it..

Mostly for sake of redundancey or over-kill, just to be on the safe side sort of thing. :P

Toirtis · 07-24-2005, 06:06 AM

The new filter will need at least 10 days to completely colonise, but you can speed that up by swapping some of the filter media from the old filter into the new one and running the new filter on your current tank for a couple of days. Your new tank will still need a few days to become fully cycled, but it will be mostly there.

TomK2 · 07-24-2005, 08:55 PM

Agreed, swap media. then both filters will be part new media and colonized media. That would be the fastest way given your time constraints.

Lonewolfblue · 07-24-2005, 09:17 PM

When it's time to change your filter in the old tank, place that filter in the new tank, and put the new filter in the old tank.

Toirtis · 07-25-2005, 04:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lonewolfblue

When it's time to change your filter in the old tank, place that filter in the new tank, and put the new filter in the old tank.

That would actually be disastrous....without the colony in the old filter, the old tank would go through a semi-cycle and unless there were enough fish in the new tank, the bacteria in the old filter would at least partially die-off.

07-24-2005, 04:42 AM	#1
JoshA. Aquarium Advice Newbie Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Houghton MI Posts: 6	Speeding up Cycling by "Loading" new filter? I was wonderng if I could speed up the cycling process for my new tank by running my new filter on my old tank for a few days? I also could transfer water, use Bio Spira, and scrape my Bio wheel. Would ths be enough to support the load of a meduim sized Jack Dempsey and a larger Pleco in a 90G? __________________ current: 29G with a single Jack Dempsey, no plants(multiple attempts however 8G 2 white fancy mollies, and a pair of seldom seen Otos. Coming: 90G Jack Depsey, Pleco, and I'm not sure what else.

07-24-2005, 05:15 AM	#3
JoshA. Aquarium Advice Newbie Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Houghton MI Posts: 6	Yes, but I was hoping to cut the time down to days, since I will be heading out to school shortly Not looking forward to going back, but I don't wanna have to cycle my tank there, and then turn around and run back to get the fish.... __________________ current: 29G with a single Jack Dempsey, no plants(multiple attempts however 8G 2 white fancy mollies, and a pair of seldom seen Otos. Coming: 90G Jack Depsey, Pleco, and I'm not sure what else.

07-24-2005, 05:30 AM	#5
JoshA. Aquarium Advice Newbie Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Houghton MI Posts: 6	Awesome!! I have two days to spare.... I didn't mean to sound pushy, sorry if I came across that way. My new filter can easily hold twice that, Im sure. Thanks for the help!! __________________ current: 29G with a single Jack Dempsey, no plants(multiple attempts however 8G 2 white fancy mollies, and a pair of seldom seen Otos. Coming: 90G Jack Depsey, Pleco, and I'm not sure what else.

07-24-2005, 06:06 AM	#7
Toirtis Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Posts: 6,768	The new filter will need at least 10 days to completely colonise, but you can speed that up by swapping some of the filter media from the old filter into the new one and running the new filter on your current tank for a couple of days. Your new tank will still need a few days to become fully cycled, but it will be mostly there. __________________ G. A. Christian Bilou, Zoologist/Writer Founder/Director, Reptile Rescue Alberta Vice-President, Calgary Aquarium Society www.calgaryaquariumsociety.com Polypterid/Primitive Fish/Ctenopoma/Catfish Fanatic 62 Aquariums, 2200+ total gallons, Aquarist since 1971.

07-24-2005, 08:55 PM	#8
TomK2 Aquarium Advice Addict Community Mentor Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Glen Ellyn, IL Posts: 1,953 Images: 2	Agreed, swap media. then both filters will be part new media and colonized media. That would be the fastest way given your time constraints. __________________ Tom's Tank - The web's best (only?) Motorcycling, trap shootin', aquarium site - IS BACK! With a new url. Oceanic 55+,two Fluval 404's,In-line 300W heater,Moderately planted with Polyvinylus Chloridus sp.=the only plants that last in my tank

07-24-2005, 04:56 AM	#2
greenmaji Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: May 2005 Location: Central Kentucky Posts: 5,937	If you ran your new filter on the old tank for a couple of weeks (more time then nessisary [acronym:34c3eaf1d8="In My Experience"]IME[/acronym:34c3eaf1d8] but would be average advise) that alone should do to get your cycle started..

07-24-2005, 05:24 AM	#4
greenmaji Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: May 2005 Location: Central Kentucky Posts: 5,937	ok.. heres the advise I would give.. the bacteria will double in colony size given the proper place to grow in 24 hours.. so if your new filter can hold twice the bacteria (the bio-media has twice the surface area, ether by size or by porosity; or a combination of both) as your current filter on the tank then it would only need 2 days to be colonized.. Hope this Helps..

07-24-2005, 05:52 AM	#6
greenmaji Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: May 2005 Location: Central Kentucky Posts: 5,937	I would try to give it enough time to completly colinize though.. ie if it has more then double the area try to give it more time then 48 hours.. but if it has less then double then 48 hours will be a good amount of over-kill [acronym:23d74a65cf="In My Experience"]IME[/acronym:23d74a65cf]. dont worry about it.. I usually tell people about the doubleing and get others advising against it.. Mostly for sake of redundancey or over-kill, just to be on the safe side sort of thing. :P

07-24-2005, 09:17 PM	#9
Lonewolfblue Planted Geek Community Mentor Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Wenatchee, WA Posts: 7,871 Images: 7	hi.. When it's time to change your filter in the old tank, place that filter in the new tank, and put the new filter in the old tank.

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