Hi all, i need to change tank due to a disaster.
My query is:-
1. Whether the BBA in canister filter will die off due to 2-3days of inactive? Should i wash the filter? Does my tank need to be recycled ( i intend to plant heavily when my new tank arrives)
2. I was using Sera base fertiliser under Lapis sand. Now they are mixed up as i scooped them up. Can i reuse them?
Thanks
Kelloggs,
Best to remove the BBA. If you need to wash the filter, use the water from your tank to do it or alternatively, wash 50~70% of the media. I tried flushing all 3 baskets of my media with my tap-water without problems too but best not to do all. Yes, your tank will recycle again but quicker this time.
Better not to use substrate again.
However, if your new tank is a bigger one, you can use the older substrate as base and cover it with a layer of newer gravels.
1)Which part of the filter is the BBA growing on? Tubings? Bio media (highly unlikely as there is no light in a canister filter at all)? If its the tubings, you can always give it a good scrub down plus some bleach to kill it.My query is:-
1. Whether the BBA in canister filter will die off due to 2-3days of inactive? Should i wash the filter? Does my tank need to be recycled ( i intend to plant heavily when my new tank arrives)
2. I was using Sera base fertiliser under Lapis sand. Now they are mixed up as i scooped them up. Can i reuse them?
You can clean the filter as always but use the tank water instead as mention by geoffrey.
Good...overloading on the plant load is good for any new or old tank.
2)If you want to reuse the substrate, be ready to top it off with extra layer of lapis sand to prevent the base fert from leeching into the water column. On the other hand, if you want to do a brand new substrate, simply do a good vacuum of the existing substrate and collect the existing dirt (without the water) and add it to the base of the new tank to kick start things.
Regards
Peter Gwee
Thanks for the advice, geoffery and peter.
My tank is 4ft and i intend to use 3/4 of the old substrate and lay a bag of new one on top as advised by you guys. This is to save cost.
As for cycling, someone told me to whack in activated carbon for the 1st week to kill impurities. Is this recommended? i saw from some thread that carbon is no good for planted tank.
My 5 adult altums and cardinals are now struggling in my small 2.5ft tank. Should i wait until the third week to place them in the new tank? When i just set up my previous tank, i planted heavily and had no problems in introducing fish in the 1st week. Some overseas articles suggest that in a planted tank, the process of ammonia and NO3 convertion in new set ups is not so obvious as plants short circuit that process. But i am still worried.
kelloggs,
Cycling should be shorter given that plants are available and your filter, particularly its media, are colonised with bacteria already. Using activated carbon or zeolites helps adsorb ammonia/heavy metals and should be used during the initial stage but not over prolong period. Anyway, I never use them.
Perhaps you may want to put in your cheaper cardinals for over 24 hrs, or longer if you wish, to see if it is safe before putting in your Altums.
kelloggs, since you mention that you are going to plant heavily, there shouldn't be any issue with NH4 harming your fish as it will never make it to the NO2 stage as the plants go straight after it. Just make sure you take care of the CO2 and circulation real good and not add too many critters. (Low bioload is the best imo/ime and easier to target for reds).
Regards
Peter Gwee
Thanks geoffrey and peter for your advice. I just bought an Ammonia Rock which contains zeolite to replace the activated carbon, the latter for the 1st day. The LFS claims that it will help to reduce ammonia in the initial cycle stage. But after i bought it, i thought that the tank would not form nitrifying bacterial if no ammonia is present.. confused
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