Can GDA be transferred via filter pad

Virto · 01-17-2013, 02:49 PM

Short and sweet question - I've got a 20L that's been cycling for about a month, but it's going along really slowly. Ammonia stays around 1ppm, nitrite 0.25 and nitrate 5-10. The new bacteria colonies are obviously present, but they're taking their sweet time in getting established.

I could move a portion of the filter pad from my well established convict tank to provide a working bacterial colony for the new tank, jumpstarting the process - but the convict tank does have a minor case of GDA and I don't really want to risk moving it to the new tank. The log in the convict tank also has some BGA, but it stays put in little patches.

Is there a real risk of moving GDA from tank to tank via filter pad? If so, I just won't bother and I'll let the cycle continue normally.

**plantbrain** · 01-17-2013, 06:59 PM

Yes, however, I've tried this on several tanks without any success to inoculate the control tank.

The alga is viable, but does not take in the control tanks.
I've repeated this about 20X now over 4-5 control tanks.

New tank issues sound more like the problem.

Virto · 01-17-2013, 09:30 PM

Cool, thanks for the response.

-Kelly

01-17-2013, 02:49 PM	#1
Virto Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Elgin, IL Posts: 163	Can GDA be transferred via filter pad Short and sweet question - I've got a 20L that's been cycling for about a month, but it's going along really slowly. Ammonia stays around 1ppm, nitrite 0.25 and nitrate 5-10. The new bacteria colonies are obviously present, but they're taking their sweet time in getting established. I could move a portion of the filter pad from my well established convict tank to provide a working bacterial colony for the new tank, jumpstarting the process - but the convict tank does have a minor case of GDA and I don't really want to risk moving it to the new tank. The log in the convict tank also has some BGA, but it stays put in little patches. Is there a real risk of moving GDA from tank to tank via filter pad? If so, I just won't bother and I'll let the cycle continue normally.

01-17-2013, 06:59 PM	#2
plantbrain Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (231/100%) Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: The swamp Posts: 11,990	Yes, however, I've tried this on several tanks without any success to inoculate the control tank. The alga is viable, but does not take in the control tanks. I've repeated this about 20X now over 4-5 control tanks. New tank issues sound more like the problem. __________________ Regards, Tom Barr

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01-17-2013, 09:30 PM	#3
Virto Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Elgin, IL Posts: 163	Cool, thanks for the response. -Kelly