Tank Upgrade Bacteria Question

[greenfish]

I am planning on upgrading one of my tanks (10 gal) with a larger one (25 gal). I need to tear the tank down completely and set up the new stand and tank in the exact same spot. I am planning on running the old filter and the new filter for a while to avoid a cycle.

How long will the bacteria in the old filter last while I do the tear down and set up? Should I do anything special with the filter? Worst case I guess I could put it on my other tank for a while if necessary.

 

[zacusmaximus]

As long as you don't keep your media out of tank water for too long, it should be fine. I would just set aside a bucket of tank water and put your filter media and whatever else you plan on moving to the new tank in there. Assuming you have a HOB on the 10, I wouldn't worry so much about the filter body itself, just your filter media insert/bag. Are you changing substrates or decor?

 

[greenfish]

Yes all new substrate and decor. I was planning on putting some of the substrate in a media bag and putting it in to the new tank for a while to help jump start the new filter. Good idea?

 

[zacusmaximus]

Very good idea! The more surface area you can bring over from the established tank, the better. Even if only temporary, it will serve to shorten the cycle, if not eliminate a full-fledged cycle altogether. (a mini-cycle is likely, but much more manageable) Stockings, or some other similar mesh material, make for suitable seeding containment. Again, the more the better. Of course, make sure your new tank water has been properly treated before putting in whatever seeding devices you fashion. I don't know if its actually useful or effective, but anytime I seed a new tank I usually make multiple, smaller seeding implements. I figure this will yield more exposed surface area and also after a few weeks of seeding it facilitates my practice of removing one smaller contraption at a time over a longer period rather than removing all of the seed material at once. Makes sense to me, but again I've never really verified that it makes any difference at all.

Let us know how your tank upgrade goes!

P.S. ::whispers:: If you can fit a 25, I'm sure you can fit a 55...

 

[7Enigma]

If you can, set up your new filter NOW in the 10 gallon tank. Set the flow to as low as possible to prevent high current, but you want to establish bacteria if you can BEFORE switching to the new tank.

One of the best ways to condition a new filter is to take the old filter media and squish it in your hand near the intake of the new filter. This will get bacteria and crud with bacteria on it trapped in the new filter.