Which Media Should I Use?

[kevinjames]

so i get my new 500 litre aquarium on saturday and ive already got a 200litre and a 240litre. im breaking down the 240l and keeping the 200l. i will be mixing stock from both tanks and using the mature media for my new 500l. the problem i have is that i dont know which media to use as im unsure of which filters will be holding the most bacteria. this is my stocking from each aquarium and ill list what will be going straight in my 500 litre.

200litre with aqua one 1250 external stocking:
2 5-6inch parrot cichlid
1 6-7inch severum
1 5-6 inch frontosa
1 4inch sajilca cichlid
2 2-4 inch keyholes
2 2-3inch bolivian rams
2 3-4inch bn plecs
1 5inch common plec
2 2-3inch angelfish

240litre with fluval 305 and aqua one 1050
15 rummynose tetra
6 3inch congo tetra
4 2inch kribs
2 2inch blue rams
11 asorted cories between 1-2inches
4 denisonni barbs 2 inches
1 9-10inch sailfin plec

and this is whats going straight in the 500 litre with a fluval fx5 and fluval 305
2 5-6inch parrot cichlid
1 6-7inch severum
1 5-6 inch frontosa
1 4inch sajilca cichlid
2 2-4 inch keyholes
2 angelfish
2bn plecs 1 saiflin plec
2 blue rams
2 kribs
6 corys

the rest will go in the 200 litre with the aqua ine 1250 filter. so which media shall i put in my fluval fx5 to seed it. which aquarium has the biggest bioload and which filters will have the most bacteria?

 

[doresy]

Wow, all the filters will be containing a vast amount of bacteria and your fish keeping skills greatly out weigh mine.

My opinion, for what it is worth is, using matured media to seed a new filter is a wonderful way to kick start the cycle process but it is not a miracle worker. Therefore I would suggest that the overall difference in bioload between the medias you have would not be significant.

 

[raptorrex]

Wow, all the filters will be containing a vast amount of bacteria and your fish keeping skills greatly out weigh mine.

My opinion, for what it is worth is, using matured media to seed a new filter is a wonderful way to kick start the cycle process but it is not a miracle worker. Therefore I would suggest that the overall difference in bioload between the medias you have would not be significant.

sounds about right to me.

 

[kevinjames]

Ok so what I plan on doing is leaving the 200litre setup and filter alone and putting the fish I'm not putting in the 500litre in there. As for the 240litres filters I'm going to put all the mature bio rings media from both current filters in the new fluval fx5 (dustbin filter lol) and top up with new and put new bio rings in the fluval 305 but keep the foam pads to help get the new bio rings colonized. Should there be enough biological filtration for my planned immediate stock of the 500litre as I could reduce the starting stock? Sorry if this is a bit long-winded but I want to be certain I'm right.

 

[raptorrex]

Ok so what I plan on doing is leaving the 200litre setup and filter alone and putting the fish I'm not putting in the 500litre in there. As for the 240litres filters I'm going to put all the mature bio rings media from both current filters in the new fluval fx5 (dustbin filter lol) and top up with new and put new bio rings in the fluval 305 but keep the foam pads to help get the new bio rings colonized. Should there be enough biological filtration for my planned immediate stock of the 500litre as I could reduce the starting stock? Sorry if this is a bit long-winded but I want to be certain I'm right.

probably, but is that good enough.
do you have time to add the filter, with its new media, and add ammonia. this would allow you to gauge how efficient your new set-up is. i know it seems like a hassle. but its a lot of stock, to have problems with.

 

[kevinjames]

Ok so what I plan on doing is leaving the 200litre setup and filter alone and putting the fish I'm not putting in the 500litre in there. As for the 240litres filters I'm going to put all the mature bio rings media from both current filters in the new fluval fx5 (dustbin filter lol) and top up with new and put new bio rings in the fluval 305 but keep the foam pads to help get the new bio rings colonized. Should there be enough biological filtration for my planned immediate stock of the 500litre as I could reduce the starting stock? Sorry if this is a bit long-winded but I want to be certain I'm right.

probably, but is that good enough.
do you have time to add the filter, with its new media, and add ammonia. this would allow you to gauge how efficient your new set-up is. i know it seems like a hassle. but its a lot of stock, to have problems with.

i need to break down one of the tanks as its been sold and is getting collected and the missus wont like me running to big tanks in the front room lol. if i need to i can just add the bigger fish first ie the sailfin plec, the severum, 2 parrots and the frontosa but im expecting the bacteria ill have to cope with more fish than that. i might just add the fish and monitor the levels with the option of removing fish afterwards.

 

[kevinjames]

just an update, got the 500l aquarium today and im a bit frustrated because i cant fit both the fluval fx5 and the 305. the hosing just wont fit in the hole in the hood. so if i put all my mature media in the fx5 will that be ok to run with a moderate stock. i will be doing weekly water changes aswell. i know the fx5 claims to filter upto 1500 litres but what are peoples opinions of this?

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

The FX5 could still do the job alone, especailly if you can supplement it with a decent powerhead of say ~3000lph.

 

[kevinjames]

The FX5 could still do the job alone, especailly if you can supplement it with a decent powerhead of say ~3000lph.

i havent used powerheads before. is it necessary??? the fx5 is absolutely massive though so im hoping it will cope for now