Filter Media

[Oscar2012]

My longest aquarium has been running for 5 months now and fully cycled and water stats are spot on, I have a 25 litre aquarium with 1 betta in, if I take some filter media from my established aquarium will it cause any problems and has it been running long enough to be taking media from it, also if I did take media would it be ok to cut the sponges to the size of the filter as they are totally different sizes.

 

[the_lock_man]

How big is the 5month tank? Ordinarily, you can take up to a third of a mature filter's media, replace it with new stuff and it will suffer no ill effects. However, I think 5 months isn't quite mature enough. You could take say 10% I would think.

Yes you can cut the sponges up.

 

[Oscar2012]

Hi, it is a fluval roma 90 litres, would 10% make a difference speeding up the cycle in my smaller tank?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Absolutely.  For a single fish, like a betta, you don't need much bacteria at all.  So, you may find that the betta tank would be completely cycled in a matter of a few days, even using so little of the filter media from the other tank.
 
What's the stocking in the 90L?

 

[Oscar2012]

I have 10 tetras, 3 platys and 5 corydoras in at the moment, some baby platys but they are going to my local aquatic place soon so won't be in the aquarium for much longer, I will take 10% media out and place it in my small tank, my betta is doing fine and I am testing his water every day and doing daily water changes but I don't want to lose him, thanx for advice
Meant to say 10 neon tetras

 

[Oscar2012]

I have just took about 10% of media out my aquarium and put in my new 25 litre aquarium filter, would you still test daily for ammonia and nitrites and do water changes depending what results are?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Yup.  I always test daily when setting up a new tank. (For me, its usually a QT.)

 

[Oscar2012]

Thanx will still test daily then and do water changes as necessary