Bypassing cycling with a mature filter.

Hi all. I'm moving house with a 280L, and I thought that the easiest way to do this would be to set up a 150L tank (will be set up on a permanent basis) in the new flat and transfer some of the smaller fish into that (280L is overstocked and my saddled bichir has grown enough to start turning on smaller tankmates). That way, when I eventually move the 280L from my mother's house into the flat, I won't have to move as many fish, and therefore should minimize stress a bit. Now, I bought a 600L/h canister filter for the 150L tank and have had it running in my main tank for a week so far (along with a 900L/h trickle system and an 800L/h canister) in the hopes that the filter will establish itself and I won't have to go through the usual cycling process with the new tank. I'm thinking that as long as I add the new fish slowly (because the gravel will still be new) over a few days, it'll be okay. I'm just checking to see that I have my facts straight here first though, as I wouldn't want to kill off my fish, especially my cute little synodontis petricola pair.

 

@Zeipex, planning ahead will not hurt and can only be beneficial.

Just a few things I want to mention, that you should keep in mind.

The downtime on the filter when you move it should be as short as possible, otherwise the bacteria will die from oxygen starvation.

Also, establish the bacteria now already as well as you can, by using Microbe lift special blend in the filter. Then use it again when you start up the new side. This way you can re cycle your tank within a week or less. During this week you will have to do regular water changes and measure for ammonia, ammonium, No2 and NO3. Till NH3/NH4 and NO2 reads zero. I would do it with fish in the tank, to make sure the cycle go through the spikes and stages it should, by having ammonia available, produced by the fish, for the bacteria to use as food.

Personally I would use Microbe Lift GFCI as well. (Gel Filter Cartridge Inoculant) I smear it on the sponges of the filter. I got very good results from the combination in the past and cycled brand new tanks/filters in a week, without the benefit of starting the process beforehand like you are now planning to do.

It will be interesting to hear the results, if you were able to 'bypass' completely.

Well done and 'strongs' !

 

@TomK, thanks for your advice!
1) Yes I know about the filter downtime, and fortunately I am only moving from Bergvliet to Rondebosch (10 minute drive or less). I will be keeping all my filter media in a bucket of tank water and will circulate it a bit as we drive.
2) I have never heard of Microbe Lift before but I will look into it, provided that it is not too expensive. I am a 2nd year undergrad student on a budget, and I have already spent R450 on the new tank (10mm glass, braced), and R350 on a wrought-iron stand.
3) I currently don't own more than a nitrite and pH test kit, and I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to afford the other kits this month. My budget only allows for about R1000 spending money per month, and I have already spent most of it on the new tank+ accessories. I will try though.

 

Zeiphex, test kits just make it easier. It is not a must. As long as you do regular WC, it will be OK. Do however try to get the Special Blend. It is about R150-R160. Speak to @AquaS

 

@TomK - That's pretty much what I thought too. I have the pH and Nitrite kits because imo those are the two most important ones. Ammonia and Nitrate are usually controlled by doing frequent WCs, and I do 25% once a week. I am a little concerned about kH though, as I am worried that it will be drastically different in the new place. Currently my kH is 0. I was thinking of taking a sample of water to be tested at my LFS, but they are very stingey - the other day I asked them to check ammonia for me, thinking it would be free, but after they tested it they demanded R10 =.= and I'll get hold of that stuff, or something similar. When I set up the 280L last year, I used stuff that came in a bottle - just shake and add directly to the tank for a boost in bacteria. I think it was something by AquaSafe. Also, using the mobile version so I hope this post doesn't look really strange o.o

 

I dont know if this will help at all, but i'll share anyway.
I was shown a product at sams aquarium the other day (forgot the name) but its a tiny glass bottle that you break, and the liquid inside is like a bacteria cocktail.
You put it into your tank and 2 hours later the entire bioloical system of the tank is up and running and ready for fish. of course the more litres the tank the more of these things you need.

 

Is there someone that know the product @Phinix is talking about?

 

Might be this:
http://www.myaquaponics.co.za/online-store/aquaponics/water-quality-control/bioclean-06.html

 

@TomK - It is called BioDigest and is made by Prodibio.

 

When I first heard of that I thought it sounded a bit suspicious. I don't trust the folks at Sam's because they are always trying to sell me things, regardless whether or not it'll actually help. However I see that TASA members seem to know about it - is it any good? It looks expensive o.o

 

YUP! thats the the stuff.

 

Looks expensive. I will stick to what I know works. Does anyone have local pricing? Just interested. Do not want to buy.

 

Its R189 for 6 Vials

 

Of course this will work. You are cycling the filter already. Remember, it is the filter that is cycled, not the tank. When you set the filter up on the new tank it will be full of juicy bacteria waiting for delicious fishy wastes to come their way. You will be able to immediately add fish.

You are not actually bypassing cycling, just cycling in advance.

 

Was R25 per bottle. and 3 bottles would cycle my 600L tank

 

You can also look at Seachem Stability. This should cost you just over R90 for 250ml which will be enough for your move for both tanks. You will use 5ml per 40L of tank water on the first dose and then 5ml per 80L of tank water each day for 7 days. It does come in a smaller 100ml bottle as well, but this will not be enough if you use it according to the supplier's recommendation.

Whichever product you decide to use, mix it with a little bit of tank water and pour it directly onto your filter media or as close to the intake as possible. In this way the bacteria can settle a bit quicker in the filter, instead of when you have poured it into the tank water.

 

What about transporting the water. and split the water between the two tanks? Then just top up the 2 tanks

 

The bacteria live in the filter media, not in the water.

 

Surely if the filter is taken from one water and dumped into new water it'll be a shock to the bacteria? I'm gonna be moving my goldfish from a old scratched 3ft to a new shiny one soon, so this is helpful

 

OK, I did not pick this up. It sounds like the filter will be running in the old, stocked tank for quite a while. If it is for like 4 weeks or more, you should not need anything else. Some extra bacteria will not hurt, but is not a must.

Jenn is right.

No, I do not think so. They will go hungry for awhile, but that is it. Oxygen is the crucial part.