How Much Mature Filter Media To Add?

[Winterlily]

Just did a search and cannot find an answer anywhere to this. I am looking at getting, in the week or so, a 40-45 US gallon tank. If I can find someone to donate some mature filter media to me, how much do I need? I may be running 2 hang-on-back filters - 1 for sure, obviously. Basically I just want to find out what I need to be asking for (how big a piece and/or WHAT piece etc) if I can find someone I know with a healthy and functioning tank so that I can cycle the new, big tank quickly and safely.

Thanks!

 

[loachman]

Just did a search and cannot find an answer anywhere to this. I am looking at getting, in the week or so, a 40-45 US gallon tank. If I can find someone to donate some mature filter media to me, how much do I need? I may be running 2 hang-on-back filters - 1 for sure, obviously. Basically I just want to find out what I need to be asking for (how big a piece and/or WHAT piece etc) if I can find someone I know with a healthy and functioning tank so that I can cycle the new, big tank quickly and safely.

Thanks!

More is better, but any amount will help jump start your cycle.

 

[lana]

Just did a search and cannot find an answer anywhere to this. I am looking at getting, in the week or so, a 40-45 US gallon tank. If I can find someone to donate some mature filter media to me, how much do I need? I may be running 2 hang-on-back filters - 1 for sure, obviously. Basically I just want to find out what I need to be asking for (how big a piece and/or WHAT piece etc) if I can find someone I know with a healthy and functioning tank so that I can cycle the new, big tank quickly and safely.

Thanks!

yup more is better. but any helps

 

[Bobtastic]

^^^ Same as above. Get as much as you can.

 

[Rooster]

No sane aquarium keeper would offer more than 25-30% anyway, so its up to the doner.... and its fair to replace what you are given.

 

[waterdrop]

No sane aquarium keeper would offer more than 25-30% anyway, so its up to the doner.... and its fair to replace what you are given.

Yes, this is the significant point to guide you in the process. You, as the recipient, should ideally be as prepared as possible to help out the donor, especially if they are not as familiar with the practice of donating mature media to another aquarist. First of all you should reassure them that by not going over the "1/3 rule" their biofilter will still be perfectly functional and healthy (they of course should understand not be add new fish for a week or two after they've donated, but that's about the only restriction I'd say.)

So you should plan to never take more than 1/3 of their biomedia, but you should hopefully try for that 25 to 30% range if they're willing. Even if that makes them too nervous and they offer you less it will still be helpful down to a point. Its important to determine exactly what media they will be donating so that you can buy them a set of equivalent new media to bulk their's back up to full. You'd want to go with their brand of sponge or their ceramic rings or whatever they use.

The physical getting of your 1/3 is easy if its a loose media in trays, like ceramic gravel from an external cannister tray or the like. It gets significantly harder if its a proprietary cartridge, say of something inside a sponge wrapper or such. You just have to get creative with those and always keep in mind that as long as you create no new empty spaces where water could get by without filtration, you should be ok. Filters are basically quite simple in that as long as the media is in there and the water is going past then they will do their thing. You just don't want exaggerated looseness or tightness of media fit.

Keep your donated media always wet of course, submerged if possible in some of their tank water and then distribute it within the new media in your own filter and that's it! The assumption of course is that you're already being sure there are between say 2 and 5 ppm of ammonia in your fishlessly cycling tank.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Winterlily]

Thanks everyone!

And thanks, waterdrop, for the detailed explanation - that helps so much. I totally get it now! Takes me a while, but I get there.

Samantha