Cycling

[Yaggey]

I'm Just started a fishless cycle for me new tank and was wondering if I swap filters from a tank that's currently running, would that take away a lot of the good bacteria from the active tank?

Good idea or not?

I plan on doing it eventually, as I need that larger filter for the new tank. Just wondering If I should wait.

 

[Ingy]

The white filters are designed to pick up organics before they decompose into ammonia and then get thrown away. Putting that into your tank will only add ammonia that you should already be adding. They will add a small amount of bacteria but not much, depending on how often you change your filters.
If you filter also has the coarse black media that is designed to house bacteria and not go catch debris, that should help some

 

[christine2012]

Any filter media from a well established tank will hold millions of bacteria. Just enough to seed your tank. I wouldn't put the whole filter on, you don't want to crash your other tank. What I do is remove a Bio bag from my canister and put it in the new filter. If you don't have Bio media then remove some floss or coarse, wring out the poop in old tank water, get it at least half way clean. Pop it in the new filter and let 'er rip! You could probably have the new tank cycled in 3 weeks or so. Don't take too much media from your established filter or you could run into a mini cycle.

 

[Yaggey]

Thanks, that's what I did. Just changed one bag in the filter and dropped that in the new tank.

 

[christine2012]

Thanks, that's what I did. Just changed one bag in the filter and dropped that in the new tank.

Happy fishing!