Cycling Multiple Filters In One Tank

[DeadFish666]

I posted something similiar, but in the wrong spot. So I will ask here, the more appropriate forumn.

I will be setting up four small tanks, two 5 gallons and two 10 gallon tanks. Not all will go right into use. So what I was thinking was cycling (fishless style) all four of my filters, two Hydro I sponge filters and two small corner/box filters all in the same 10 gallon tank. Isn't it easier to do all the filters in one tank get them where I need then move to their respective tanks? Cycling one tank is easier than cycling four at different times right?

Shouldn't the results be the same as doing individually?

Any thoughts or has anyone else done this?

Thanks

 

[chrisrm]

yep that makes a lot more sense than doing them indervidualy.

i dont know if you would dose for the total volume of all the tanks or just for the one they are in tho..... but im sure someone else will!

 

[TATTIESCONE]

yep that makes a lot more sense than doing them indervidualy.

i dont know if you would dose for the total volume of all the tanks or just for the one they are in tho..... but im sure someone else will!

Im not so sure that putting 4 filters in such a small tank all at the same time will give each one a chance to aquire the same amount of bacteria for each one. you may have to stagger the procedure to maybe 2 first then the other 2 after a while

 

[waterdrop]

The bacteria will divide more or less evenly between all the available biomedia. This means that each filter will really only be working it's way up to about a quarter of the bioload match you want. It would be a great way to get things started however and would makes things easier on you. After a while you could set up a second tank and move 2 to there and then keep splitting as you set up the final tanks. In the end you want to perform a qualifying week on each individual water/filter system. WD