Quick questions about seeding bacteria from old media.

[Blackmantis]

Hi everyone,

So I bought a new Biowheel filter (150 gph) for my 20 gallon tank and am running it adjacently to my old dinky Top Fin 20 filter.

I had a small bag of activated carbon sitting in my Top Fin filter for 24 hours, is this enough time to seed good bacteria unto the bag?

The reason I'm asking this is because I took that small bag and put it in my new Biowheel filter hoping to seed some bacteria onto it. I'm planning on repeating the process a few times (probably 2-3 days per filter) for about 2 weeks to acclimate my new filter to the aquarium.

In your experience, will this be sufficient time to seed bacteria from the old filter to the new one?

[lowlight]

I would remove the carbon completely I don't think it is any good for bio use, I only use it to help remove any meds a might have used to treat sick fish. I would run the new filter and the old one for about 3-4 weeks and then you should be OK, I would also keep an eye on your water parameters.

[Blackmantis]

Well, I'm using the carbon to remove an odor from my tank and because I'm putting a piece of driftwood in and I'd like to keep tannin levels down a bit.

Unfortunately, I'm also stuck with carbon b/c I bought this new filter in a rush but don't mind changing the pad every 1 to 1 1/2 months. Also, I'm going to be putting in one or two extra fish so I'll be slightly above recommended stocking levels and want really good filtration.

[lowlight]

If it is one of those filter cartridges that have the carbon in it you could remove the carbon from it and just rinse the pads in used tank water. There is nothing wrong with using carbon I just don't use it unless I have to, removing tannins is a good reason. Why does your tank smell?

[Blackmantis]

I believe the smell comes from overfeeding, unfortunately.

I don't have much experience with corys and have been dropping 4 sinking pellets each night before going to bed. So that, in combination with the other food that goes in the tank for other fish, might contribute to it.

I also think I need to do a better job with gravel cleaning. I generally clean out the gravel once a week with the water change (which I keep up with) but don't always feel like I'm doing a great job with the gravel and flourite.

I'm still investigating the smell. It's not really bad. It has the distinct aquarium smell, but it's just a tad bit stronger.

[Blackmantis]

Also, what do you mean by removing the carbon? Removing it from the pad?

I'm fairly new with carbon filters... :P

[lowlight]

1 sinking pellet would probably satisfy the Corys I have 5 Kuhli loaches and sometimes only drop in half a wafer after lights out. What kind of pellet are you talking about I use Hikari sinking wafers. Yes, removing it from the pad that way you don't have to keep buying filter pads every month. What kind/brand of filter is it anyway?

[Blackmantis]

For the corys, I use a combination of Nutrafin Max sinking tablets (2 at once) and Hikari sinking wafers (3-4 at once) since the corys usually don't get other food (the flakes are eaten up before reaching the botton). I'm probably going to reduce the amount of food given or feed them once every 36-48 hours.

I have a Marineland Penguin 150 running as of now.

[lowlight]

Try 1 wafer and see what happens, they do swell up from absorbing water. I usually skip 1 day a week of feeding. I am not familiar with Nutrafin Max sinking tablets so I don't know what size they are. Sounds like over feeding is the problem though. It is a learning experience and when you start to know how much to feed it just seems like they are being starved. I have heard that a fishes stomach is as big as its eyes.