New aquarium

[WendyBowis]

Hi everyone ! I've not been on here for a while but I hope some one could give me some advice. I have recently upgraded my tank from a 80 litre to a 135 litre I have added new substrate because I wanted to convert to sand. Because it was an upgrade I had to add my fish after a few days I am running the old filter as well as a new external filter and I put in the tank 2 bags of old gravel.
In the tank are : 2 swordtails, 3 mollies, 5 ember tetras , 5 cardinal tetras, 3 harlequin tetras , 1 lemon tetra. Now my question is when I tested my water again yesterday after the fish had been in there after a week all the readings were zero I would have thought after a week there would have been some ammonia , nitrites or nitrates. Hope some one can advise me please

 

[Hholly]

Welcome back!

If your old filter is running and you have the same number of fish as your old tank, the ammonia produced by the fish is being consumed by the bacteria in the old filter. Instant cycle. Don't remove the old filter for a month or two to let the new one get colonized.

 

[WendyBowis]

Thank you I had been thinking this could be the reason, just seems to easy. I'm going to the leave the old filter in for a few more weeks to be sure.



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[Hholly]

You can even take the old filter material and stuff it inside the new canister to colonize the new stuff.

 

[WendyBowis]

Thanks I might try that. Must admit I can't wait to remove the old filter it looks awful but needs must I suppose


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