Can Filter Media be stored???

[Marcus21_69]

I'm currently in the process of moving and need to tear down my freshwater 50 gallon tank. I'll be moving in with the parents for a couple of months but I don't want to set up the big tank so I was going to set up the 10gallon, keep the fish and plants in there until I get my permanent residence.
I have a Eheim proII 2026 which is too much filter for a 10 gallon.

My question is can bio filter media be stored to preserve the biological or do I have to start over again?

[rich311k]

You will need to start over. You will have seed material from the ten to work with though.

[Northernguy]

Welcome to the Fabulous AC!:22:
You will be able to seed the small filter from the eheim but the rest will be no good after 24hrs of not being used.
What filter are using on the ten.An Aqua clear twenty works great on my tens.
The media from the ac20 will help to seed the eheim again but you will have to keep a close eye on your perameters and do your water changes for every ammonia and nitrite spike you get.It won't take long.

[Wild Turkey]

Welcome!

Move the media and the fish over the same day or will loose the bacteria.
Things that kill it :

Washed in water too hot/cold
Chlorine
No ammonia source for more than say 12-24 hours
Dried out
Some antibiotics harm the biological filter as well

[Marcus21_69]

I'll be setting up the 10 gallon about a month prior to the move, so I'll be taking some of the established tank water over to start the cycling.
I'll be using a AC200 for the 10 gallon.
At least this gives me a chance to really clean out the Eheim tubes and in-line uv and heater.

Thanks for the info!

[Northernguy]

Use fresh dechlorinated water! your old tank water is just dirty water! It will do nothing for the cycle!You want dirty used media,cotton or bio balls of some sort to add tro the aqua clear!

[PostalPenguin]

Use the Eheim substrat(cocoa puff looking things) to seed the AC20. Works great.

[Marcus21_69]

So Instead of using carbon use the filter substrate instead?

[Fraoch]

Yes, you'll get more benefit from more biological media than carbon.