Cycling and filter media

[gilpi]

I wonder what you guys think...

If I were to cycle two identical tanks with the exception of the filter media,
One very porous sort of like a plastic scrubber or very coarse sponge where water just flows through real fast, the other, a very tight media like filter floss, which one would finish the cycle first?

I'm thinking since bacteria needs to cling on to something, it would be the floss that would finish the cycle first or does the media matters?

I don't need to cycle a tank, just wanted to throw this out there for the fun of it.

 

[Rolance]

I would say the tank with the tigther filter floss-like media in it would be my opinion.

But if you had a third tank with both in it I'd say that one ; )

 

[jwh0818]

Every tank is different. Bio media is bio media. There is no way to tell what tank will cycle first

 

[Rolance]

But if the two tanks were exactly, perfectly identical is what gilpi is saying

 

[jwh0818]

But if the two tanks were exactly, perfectly identical is what gilpi is saying

Yes and I'm saying there is still no way to know. Each tank is very different. Each has its own water chemistry that's different from each. There is no way to know

 

[Rolance]

oh.

Hey if you are going to put filter floss in a filter, would you use a mesh bag or something or just stuff it somewhere you can fit it in there?

 

[jwh0818]

oh.

Hey if you are going to put filter floss in a filter, would you use a mesh bag or something or just stuff it somewhere you can fit it in there?

Just stuff it in. It's to polish the water

 

[Caliban07]

I wonder what you guys think...



If I were to cycle two identical tanks with the exception of the filter media,

One very porous sort of like a plastic scrubber or very coarse sponge where water just flows through real fast, the other, a very tight media like filter floss, which one would finish the cycle first?



I'm thinking since bacteria needs to cling on to something, it would be the floss that would finish the cycle first or does the media matters?



I don't need to cycle a tank, just wanted to throw this out there for the fun of it.

I think floss is considered more of a mechanical media as it's main function is to trap tiny particles. There's not much practical surface area for the bacteria to colonise on floss.

Porous sponge media traps larger particles and can hold much more bacteria so acts as both mechanical and biological filtration.

Other types of media such as ceramic rings and lava rock have a vast surface area and their main function is biological.

I would say that it would be more beneficial to have just sponge over just floss but better to have just rings over sponge if we are talking about biological filtration only. However bacteria also covers everything in the tank. There would still be lots of bacteria on the gravel walls ornaments plants etc. I'm not sure how cycling speed would be affected.

 

[gilpi]

I know floss would clog if used in an everyday filter but I was just using that as an extreme example.
I'm only wondering if there is a difference in the time it would take for them to cycle, one against the other, if all conditions were the same withe exception of the filters.

 

[Caliban07]

I know floss would clog if used in an everyday filter but I was just using that as an extreme example.
I'm only wondering if there is a difference in the time it would take them to cycle, one against the other, if all conditions were the same withe exception of the filters.

Floss is used in everyday filters. I think they would take a while to clog depending on how dirty your tank is.

Giving that floss is no good for biological filtration I would expect the tank with the sponge to cycle first.

Like I said I don't know by how much.

 

[gilpi]

I've been using plastic scrubbies lately in my canisters. I personally like lots biological filtration with good water flow.

 

[gilpi]

But if the two tanks were exactly, perfectly identical is what gilpi is saying

Yes, that's what I'm asking

 

[Delapool]

If I assume either have sufficient room for bb ( can I do that?) , then I guess water flow would be the main difference.

I've read a slower flow is better for the bb but thinking about I would have both being equal.

 

[gilpi]

If I assume either have sufficient room for bb ( can I do that?) , then I guess water flow would be the main difference.

I've read a slower flow is better for the bb but thinking about I would have both being equal.

I guess water flow should have been part of my question as well.
I'm only asking the question as a cycling point of view if there would be a faster cycle time one vs the other, both having equal water condition and identical filters with exception of the media.
The coarser media will let more flow through where a tighter media would have less flow but more area.
Maybe this is a pointless question but It's something I always thought about when cycling.

 

[Delapool]

Perhaps the tighter filter would make it easier for the bb to spread. I've always wondered that as well - what does go on inside the filter...