Filter question

[Mike4155]

I have a 10 gal tank w/ a Marineland bio wheel 100 that bought and set up and is running amazingly with my tiger gourami in it for almost a year now. I recently was given a 30 gal tank and want to move my fish to that tank. I would hate to loose all the good bacteria already in place in that filter. So should I move my fish and my filter to the new tank. I know its not powerful enough for that size tank so i was thinking about just buying another 100 to put next to it as well or should I just leave the 100 on my 10 gal as a QT tank and upgrade to a Marineland 200 or 250? Or is there another type of filter system I should look into?

Thanks

 

[TL1000RSquid]

I'd upgrade and keep the current one for quarantine. If the 200 or 250 is the one that takes 2 cartridges of the same style as your current filter you can speed up your cycling of the new tank by putting your old cart into the new tank.

If you want to change filter systems I've had good luck with AquaClears, no cartridges to buy all the time and you can use whatever media in you want doesn't have to be the aquaclear branded stuff.

 

[dbosman]

Move the filter to the new tank with your fish. Add the new filter as well. In several weeks, let's say a month, you can remove the Marineland 100.
If you should need the 100 for your 10 gallon, sooner than a month from now, move the media in it to the new filter. The bio-wheel won't fit of course.
A mini cycle is always possible when you do a transfer of this sort, so keep an eye on the ammonia and Nitrite for a week or longer, as needed.

 

[Mike4155]

I think what I'm most worried about is if my fish will be under to much stress from the move if I put him in the new tank with the filter right away. Do you think that would be ok? I usually use distilled water.

Im def going to upgrade and stick with the Marineland 200. Thanks for the suggestion though squid.

 

[Rbishop]

Why are you using distilled water?

 

[jm1212]

no need to keep the old filter running...just float the bio wheel in the tank and give the cartridge a good swish in the tank's water.

at the same time, I would just run the 100 and then get a 200 to run along with it. when you have HOB filters on a tank, its really best to have at least 10X total GPH compared to the tank's volume. in your case, you'll need 300 gph.

 

[Mike4155]

I was told by an aquarium employee to us distilled. Said it was easier on the fish. No clue.

Thanks for all the help.

 

[Big Mike]

I was told by an aquarium employee to us distilled. Said it was easier on the fish. No clue.

Thanks for all the help.

Did they also sell you the distilled water? :evil_lol:

 

[Fyurae]

Yeah, get some Prime and get water from the tap.

If it were me, I would buy a filter of the appropriate size for the new tank, set up the tank and cycle it. You can jump-start the cycle by squeezing mulm from the old filter and rinsing it in the tank water, so the cycle will only take about a week. Then, move the fish and put some media for the 100 in the new filter, so that you have extra cycled media for quarantine if you need it.

 

[Rbishop]

Unless your tap is extremely hard, there shouldn't be any need for RO or distilled.