Bought a new filter

catfishgrrl · Post by **catfishgrrl** » 17 May 2005, 15:55

Hi.
I currently have an Aquarium Systems Millennium 2000 Filter and added a new Penguin BIO-Wheel Power Filter 350 to my thirty gallon tank.
How long will it take for enough bacteria to collect on the new filter, so I can remove my old one?

Thanks.
Steph

Lied · Post by **Lied** » 17 May 2005, 15:56

I think about a month...3 or 4 weeks

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 17 May 2005, 16:09

I would leave them working together for as long as you can, at least a few weeks, and perhaps longer.

You need to build up enough "dirt" in the new filter to make the bacteria happy to start reproducing in the new filter.

Is there any reason you can't just leave both running?

--
Mats

catfishgrrl · Post by **catfishgrrl** » 17 May 2005, 16:24

I could leave them both running.
The "more the merrier" when filters are concerned.

Thanks guys.

bronzefry · Post by **bronzefry** » 17 May 2005, 21:39

The BioWheel may help cycle things a bit quicker. This has been my experience. At first, the BioWheel should be spinning very rapidly. As time goes along, it will go a bit slower. This is when you know you have the good stuff colonizing. Please remember to check your chemical levels during this time a little more often(nitrates, etc.)This will also help you determine how things are progressing. I've read that there can be too much filtration. Does anybody out there understand what that means or if it's true?

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 18 May 2005, 09:47

Bronzefry wrote:The BioWheel may help cycle things a bit quicker. This has been my experience. At first, the BioWheel should be spinning very rapidly. As time goes along, it will go a bit slower. This is when you know you have the good stuff colonizing. Please remember to check your chemical levels during this time a little more often(nitrates, etc.)This will also help you determine how things are progressing. I've read that there can be too much filtration. Does anybody out there understand what that means or if it's true?

I can't understand how you could ever have "too much filtration". Aside from a financial perspective and possibly turbulence problems from having too much water movement, I don't see any reason why more filter wouldn't be better.

If there isn't dirt in the water, the filter won't do anything other than circulate the water anyways...

Anyone have any other thoughts? [I'm just thinking logically about it, so I'm not saying this from experience, but from thinking about the function of a filter and what it does].

--
Mats

catfishgrrl · Post by **catfishgrrl** » 18 May 2005, 15:21

I am on the same wavelength as Mats, but if anyone thinks these two filters would be too much for a 30G, I'm all ears.
The tank is planted and in the next few days will be switched over to sand.
It houses one 1.5 inch albino bristlenose, 10 Pygmy Corys (2 adults and 8 juvies), 10 C. Habrosus juvies, and 2 adult Peppered corys (I'm getting a few more), and they all seem to love the current.
Thanks.
Steph