Such a thing as TOO much filter media for cycling?

[Kaiyah]

Well, I managed to get an established filter from my sister and brought it home still dripping in a plastic bag.
Only problem is the filter is about 4x as big as my original filter, so I cut off the cloth part and shook the gravel from the inside of it into a bit of cheesecloth, formed a bag and dangled it in front of my filter (I couldn't fit the bag into my filter casing).
Her tank is quite a bit larger than mine, so now that I've got such a big bag dangling in my empty fish tank, I'm wondering if it's possible to go overboard with the filter media.

Also, since I'm on the topic and I have everyone's rapt attention (:Angel:), I thought I'd ask when I should begin "feeding" my bacteria and how often.

As usual, thanks for any help! :)

[jm1212]

with the ammount that it sounds like you put in shoudl be enough if you start "feeding" ASAP. test the water every day and when ammoina is at 0, add some more ammoina.

[Kaiyah]

Does it *have* to be ammonia, or can I use fish food instead? (Forgot to get the ammonia while I was shopping today.)

[Mgamer20o0]

ammonia is the best way. food times time to break down. the ammonia should have been added right away. if the bacteria doesnt have any food it will start dieing off.

you cant have to much filtered media. the more you have the less time it will take to cycle.

[wataugachicken]

did you save the cloth part of the filter or throw it away?

the "gravel" inside the filter media is just carbon - that fabric part is where the bacteria lives. you should have cut all of that off in one piece, folded it up, and stuck that into your filter.

[liv2padl]

what chicken said. ;)

[Kaiyah]

Thanks everyone for all the info.
To answer your question Chicken, yes, I included the cloth part as well as the carbon in the little cheesecloth bag I made.
And I dropped by the store today to buy some ammonia from the store, but there was only one kind and it included surfactants (sp?) and a motley of other things, so I didn't bother buying it. Guess I'll have to shop around so I can make sure the bacteria don't die off on me.

[wataugachicken]

the $0.97 Great Value Walmart brand is just fine, i think it has a purple label.

[Kaiyah]

I dropped in some fish food last night in hopes that the bacteria wouldn't die off too fast, and I'll be making a trip to Walmart as soon as the fiance gets off work and returns with the car. :)
I just hope I'll be able to find it this time!