Will this cause a mini cycle

[bradleyp]

I have a fully cycled 29g that I am running 2 Agueon QuietFlow 20 filters on. Both units have Fluval BioMax ceramic rings in the reservoir and cut down pieces of aquaclear foam for extra surface area for BB to occupy.

I want to take one of these filters off and use it to start up a new grow out tank for my panda cory fry. If I remove one, doesn't this effectively cut my BB in half and create the potential for my stable tank to suddenly go through a mini cycle? I need to get the grow out tank cycled pretty quickly and this seems like the best way to do it with what I have to work with.

Or would it be better to put a new filter on the new tank and just take part of the media form the established filter, like maybe 1/4 of the total media currently in use?

I'm certainly open to any alternative suggestions and I certainly don't want to jeopardize the health of the inhabitants of my 29g.

 

[bitbot]

I would guess the bacterial colony would bounce back quickly to the change, as long as the remaining filter has enough capacity for the waste produced in the 29 (which, admittedly, is difficult to judge).

I would go ahead and do it, and test the water for ammonia in the next few days.
And remember that the BB in the grow out tank will die off without a source of ammonia etc. if there are no fish in it yet.

 

[Rbishop]

I think taking the sponges alone from one filter and put them in the new tank filter will be fine. I think the BB will respond quickly...at most you do an extra water change or two.

 

[KarlTh]

I understand that given sufficient nutrition (which by definition they will be if you take half of them away) they're capable of doubling their numbers in 24 hours.

 

[suds1421]

I've never taken 1/2 of my filters away from a tank. I have put a filter for a grow out tank on my display to seed it and then taken it away but it was more like 25% of the filtration and it was only there for a couple of weeks.

If your 29 is working I'd leave it alone, get a filter that works for the new tank and throw it on your 29 to seed it. Then put it on the new tank.

I'm into over filtering so I'm biased

 

[tonergirl]

I think taking the sponges alone from one filter and put them in the new tank filter will be fine. I think the BB will respond quickly...at most you do an extra water change or two.

:iagree:

 

[stephcps]

I agree with RB and tonergirl. Take the sponges alone from 1 filter. That will be enough to get the new tank going, but not impact probably at all the old tank.

 

[silentcircuit]

Eh, most of your bacterial colony is on the glass and in your substrate. Removing a filter isn't going to do much of anything.

 

[Rbishop]

Eh, most of your bacterial colony is on the glass and in your substrate. Removing a filter isn't going to do much of anything.

Not really true in all cases..each tank is different, and IME, most tanks don't have proper circulation, so the bacteria are going to thrive best where the food/O2 is most plentiful...which is usually the filter media. Countless threads on untold number of forums where folks changed/cleaned filter media and their tanks crashed...just saying...

 

[bradleyp]

Thanks to all who took the time to post. Based on the information shared, I am going to take the extra sponge from one of the filters and put it into a new filter on the new tank. I will make sure I feed the bacteria until I am ready to move the fry over. Naturally, once moved over, I will keep a close watch on parameters and err on the side of caution by doing regular (every day or two) water changes.

Are there any good rules of thumb as to when the fry (if I didn't mention in my OP, these are panda corys) should be ready to go into an established community tank? What about being ready to sell/trade? It looks like I am going to have way more than I will be able to keep with my current equipment.