Bacterial Colony Follows Filter?

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phpKerouac

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Jun 24, 2003
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I am migrating some cichlids out of a 10g tank up to a 30g tank. I have gotten the tank set up, but no cycle yet.

The 10g currently has a 30g filter on it (long story) but i wonder if i migrate the filter over to the 30g some time before the actual fish if the necessary healthy bacteria in the filter will be enough to count as cycling my new 30g tank

Currently, the water in the 30g has been standing for two or three days, and the stats are all in the safe level (i think - nil ammonia, nitrites, nitrates) and the ph is at the same level as the existing tank.

The reason i ask if moving the filter alone is enough to cycle it, is because another thread mentioned performing the cycle in a plastic tub, getting the levels right, then doing a 99% water change.

Am I on the right track here, or way way off?

A
 

anonapersona

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Mar 7, 2003
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Bacteria in the filter

Most of the bacteria you want are in the filter.

The filter you are running has been processing the wastes of the fish that will be moving. If you move this filter to the new tank at the same time as the fish move, you ought to see no cycle at all on the new tank.

You will lose some bacteria in the amount that is left behind inthe gravel and on the old tank decorations and on the glass. But the additional water volume will ease the strain, and the filter bacteria ought to expand to take up the slack.

If you move the filter very long before the fish, you will kill off those bacteria by starving them. Much better to move the filter and the fish basically at the same time.


If you are leaving some of the fish behind in the 10g tank, they may experience a small cycle when a new filter is placed on as the big filter leaves, but they will have the bacteria in the gravel and on the tank and decor to help populate the new filter.

I suggest letting the old filter get pretty gunky and as you install the new filter on the 10g and as you take the old filter to the new tank, rinse the old filter media into the new filter on the 10g. Some of the excess bacteria will fall into place in the new filter with the filter squeezings. I've done this when starting a filter on a Q tank, and never measured a bit of ammonia or nitrite even when adding a rather full load of fish immediately.

If you have a cycled tank, you can share bacteria pretty easily.
 
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