New Filter - question about seeding bacteria

Drowki · 07-01-2012, 04:30 PM

I have 2 HOBs on the back of my 55 gallon. I upgraded to a eheim classic 350, and took the biomedia from my Whisper and placed it on top of the cansiter (on the round balls) and then a sponge, soft sponge, and carbon.

How long will it take for it to seed bacteria?

I would like to remove the two HoB or at least one (the one is tooo damn loud)

DishyFishy · 07-01-2012, 04:40 PM

As long as you still have at least one of the HOB's that has established bacteria in it I should thing you would be fine. If not, I usually let it run for about 2 weeks when I get a new filter.

PlantedRich · 07-01-2012, 05:51 PM

Depends on how close you were to running the limit on the bio filtering with the HOB. Most will have a fair amount of slackwith the fish load so that a small cutback will not show a spike. When you moved the media over, if it did not dry out or otherwise kill the bacteria, you will have moved something like a quessimated 40%. Figuring in 40% in each filter and the other 20% here and there around the tank. So if you killed half of that even, you will still have most of the bacteria.

I would shut down the noisy one and watch with testing just to be sure there are no sneaky spikes in ammonia or nitrite. If one does come round, it hould be short and a bit of water changing will cover it. I would wait another week and remove the second just on principal of not rocking things all at once.

Drowki · 07-02-2012, 04:02 PM

I think I will wait for this weekend and non-noisy one. (I will add it later) That one was the most active filter that I had and the longest running. (Most likely the one with the most bacteria)

I didn't add the biomedia until it was ready to add it, along with water. So I waited until the end before adding it... It might have dried a few seconds to 1-2 minutes. I dumped water into it and it was closer to the top.

I will remove the non-noisy one because all it is a sponge and carbon..... Turn that off and let it sit there for the time being...

1 week after that, I will remove the noisy one... and remove the biomedia from the canister and place it back in the non-noisy filter and start it back up again without the carbon.

30 days from Friday, I will remove carbon from the canister. People have been telling for a planted tank = no carbon...

I thought about having two filters, it will more or less be a backup in case one breaks... (worst case) and whats wrong with a little extra filtration?

PlantedRich · 07-02-2012, 09:54 PM

The Flual filter manual says carbon will remove ferts so good thinking on taking it out. Many find it an unneeded nuisance to mess with it.

Not so sure about what you plan with the one filter. Leaving it in the tank but not running will leave little water flowing through the media and can lead to the good O2 using bacteria dying to be replaced by bad bacteria which does not require O2. If I wanted to shut it down, I might go with taking it out completely rather than it building a sewer. Either way, I would suggest sniffing it before putting it back in operation. The smell will let you know which bacteria you have. The bad guys have a definite odor problem!

Drowki · 07-03-2012, 03:03 PM

Thanks man, I will go home and sniff my filter later...

Do you guys seem to spend long ammount of time in front of your tanks? I Just look at it and see where I want to move plants.. Remap it to the way I want it and move it later.

07-01-2012, 04:30 PM	#1
Drowki Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: May 2012 Location: Hoboken, NJ Posts: 159	New Filter - question about seeding bacteria I have 2 HOBs on the back of my 55 gallon. I upgraded to a eheim classic 350, and took the biomedia from my Whisper and placed it on top of the cansiter (on the round balls) and then a sponge, soft sponge, and carbon. How long will it take for it to seed bacteria? I would like to remove the two HoB or at least one (the one is tooo damn loud)

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07-01-2012, 04:40 PM	#2
DishyFishy Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: SC Posts: 471	As long as you still have at least one of the HOB's that has established bacteria in it I should thing you would be fine. If not, I usually let it run for about 2 weeks when I get a new filter.

07-01-2012, 05:51 PM	#3
PlantedRich Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Pflugerville, Tx Posts: 1,513	Depends on how close you were to running the limit on the bio filtering with the HOB. Most will have a fair amount of slackwith the fish load so that a small cutback will not show a spike. When you moved the media over, if it did not dry out or otherwise kill the bacteria, you will have moved something like a quessimated 40%. Figuring in 40% in each filter and the other 20% here and there around the tank. So if you killed half of that even, you will still have most of the bacteria. I would shut down the noisy one and watch with testing just to be sure there are no sneaky spikes in ammonia or nitrite. If one does come round, it hould be short and a bit of water changing will cover it. I would wait another week and remove the second just on principal of not rocking things all at once.

07-02-2012, 04:02 PM	#4
Drowki Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: May 2012 Location: Hoboken, NJ Posts: 159	I think I will wait for this weekend and non-noisy one. (I will add it later) That one was the most active filter that I had and the longest running. (Most likely the one with the most bacteria) I didn't add the biomedia until it was ready to add it, along with water. So I waited until the end before adding it... It might have dried a few seconds to 1-2 minutes. I dumped water into it and it was closer to the top. I will remove the non-noisy one because all it is a sponge and carbon..... Turn that off and let it sit there for the time being... 1 week after that, I will remove the noisy one... and remove the biomedia from the canister and place it back in the non-noisy filter and start it back up again without the carbon. 30 days from Friday, I will remove carbon from the canister. People have been telling for a planted tank = no carbon... I thought about having two filters, it will more or less be a backup in case one breaks... (worst case) and whats wrong with a little extra filtration?

07-02-2012, 09:54 PM	#5
PlantedRich Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Pflugerville, Tx Posts: 1,513	The Flual filter manual says carbon will remove ferts so good thinking on taking it out. Many find it an unneeded nuisance to mess with it. Not so sure about what you plan with the one filter. Leaving it in the tank but not running will leave little water flowing through the media and can lead to the good O2 using bacteria dying to be replaced by bad bacteria which does not require O2. If I wanted to shut it down, I might go with taking it out completely rather than it building a sewer. Either way, I would suggest sniffing it before putting it back in operation. The smell will let you know which bacteria you have. The bad guys have a definite odor problem!

07-03-2012, 03:03 PM	#6
Drowki Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: May 2012 Location: Hoboken, NJ Posts: 159	Thanks man, I will go home and sniff my filter later... Do you guys seem to spend long ammount of time in front of your tanks? I Just look at it and see where I want to move plants.. Remap it to the way I want it and move it later.