Cycling new 50gal

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djfsolo

djfsolo

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Nov 2, 2009
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Hey everyone,

I have recently acquired a 55gallon tank. I have since filled it with clean substrate (medium-small pebbles), some large rocks, and a few fake plants. The tank has lights, heat, and filtration via a 4-month old Rena XP2. I have filled the tank with water and switched on the filter- and want to know what to do next.

I read through the cycling thread, and have decided to go with using my existing filter media. I don't quite understand how to go about this, as my 10 gallon tank uses a Tetra whisper exII- a completely different filtration system that uses those little carbon pouch things. Do I simply remove the pouch, and stick it in one of the trays of the XP2? Do I open the pouch and stick that stuff in? Please help me understand how to do this.

I have just done a water change on the 10gallon and will be conducting a water test to ensure that the filter is in good shape to transfer to the 55gal.

Also I noticed all these tiny tiny tiny bubbles everywhere along the aquarium walls and decorations in the 55 gallon tank. I never noticed this on my 10 gallon, is this normal? It's quite ugly so I was hoping it would go away?

Thanks for any help
 
RazzleFish

RazzleFish

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Oct 28, 2009
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Do you have fish in your 10 gallon? If so just move the filter pouch and all to the new filter. Then you can go ahead and get 1 or 2 fish. If not, you will need to cycle the new filter and the old one wont help at all. I reccomend a fishless cylce. The bubbles on the walls and decor are just from them being dry for a period of time, they are harmless and will go away eventually. If you want, you could wipe them off but depending on how much decor you have that might be quite a project.
 
djfsolo

djfsolo

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I do have fish in my 10 gallon. My confusion comes from the whisper EXII being a completely different design than the XP2 canister filter. I don't quite understand where to put the whisper EXII filter media in the XP2. Please explain using layman's terms, I am relatively new to this hobby

thank you
 
RazzleFish

RazzleFish

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I don't actually have an XP2 (It's very nice) but from what I can see you would just open it up and put the media from the whisper into a compartment where there is a lot of water flow.
 
bgcoop8784

bgcoop8784

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Aug 6, 2009
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Augusta GA
just throw your whole filter pad out of your whisper in one of the trays, are you going to be moving your fish from your 10 gal into the new tank, or starting a new tank with diff. fish?
 
bgcoop8784

bgcoop8784

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well with the cycle, there are a lot of ways to do it, personallly i'd just add your old filter and add a fish, as long as the one fish you are adding isn't producing much more waste than the ones in your 10 gal the old filter has enough good bacteria to cover him and your cycle will be almost over before it starts. going to your other post now.. goodluck.
 
djfsolo

djfsolo

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Nov 2, 2009
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I'm assuming testing your water 6 hours after filling the tank is kinda trite, but I have the following values:

Nitrate 10ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Ammonia 0ppm
PH7.2

Should I go ahead and add the pleco, monitor levels on a daily basis, conduct required water changes, gradually add more fish?
 
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