Emergency Evacuation and Cycling

[szidlon]

Well, I've had a busy morning!  I've had a Black Ghost in with my Africans since I set the tank up in October.  He has/had a nice safe nest in a very holey piece of bogwood.  I think it's bogwood, it came with the tank and is a lot redder than the african root.  At any rate, it seems that it's been getting harder for him to reclaim his space when daylight returns as a couple of the Africans seem to have taken a liking to  his spot.  He doesn't seem to be tattered, but he was having a really hard time gettting back home this morning and I swear my Fronts were circling like sharks.  (It's the Yellow Labs who are taking over his home)

My intention was to put him in the 105 with the Discus when I finished setting it up.  Well, I felt it in his best interest to move him today, wood and all.  I've had a few Giant Danios in there to start the cycling a week or so ago.

My real question is:

Will the wood I moved with him be enough to kick start the bios, or should I make a trip to Aquarium World and get some BioSpira?

TIA

[SCOTT]

Re: Emergency Evacuation and Cycling

The simplest way to kick the filter would be to pull one of the filters off the first tank, that is if it has multiple filters on it. If not, take some of the media from the first filter and seed the filter on the new tank. Problem solved, you are running at reduced fish capacity for a week or 2 but you have a functioning bio filter.

[szidlon]

Re: Emergency Evacuation and Cycling

I can do that, I have an extra Penguin that hasn't been used.  I can take one of the wheels off the one on the 75 and get it started.   :doh:

I had thought about taking some gravel from the 75 and putting in a stocking and dropping it in the new tank, but your idea is much easier and probably more effective.

I don't plan on using a HOT filter permanently, I figured it would cause too much current for the Discus.  I have two Eheims that I wiil be using.  I may be wrong on the current thing, the one Eheim I have running generates quite a stream on it's own.  One is up and running and I have new tubing ordered for the second one, it'll be here next week.

At the rate I'm getting it set up, it'll be Christmas before I get the Discus  

I know the Black Ghost didn't belong with the Africans, but I just had to have one.

[wvgdiscus]

Re: Emergency Evacuation and Cycling

Make sure that stocking has not been washed with anything.
Dont worry about the hot magnum. I have 2 on my 125 with no problems.

If you do go with the enheim face the spray towards the back so the water will hit about a 3rd from the bottom also get en extension for the inlet side to get it close to the bottom on the opposite side of the outlet.
This will help to keep the current down. I use this method on my 75 gallon.

If you like you can come over to see how I got both these tanks setup.

Walter

[szidlon]

Re: Emergency Evacuation and Cycling

Have no fear Walter, the stocking has not been used.  Unless I have a meeting to attend I avoid the more unpleasant aspects of the office environment. :wink:

The Black Ghost seems fine this morning, at least I think he's fine, I can't see him and that's a good thing.  When he's out and about in the daylight is when I know something is wrong with him or the tank.  Caught the Giant Danios and returned them to the 75 before they woke up all the way this morning.  Now, to catch the forever holding Yellow Lab and put her in the nursery and get the 75 back together is next on the list this morning.

I'd like to see your setup, I've PM'd you.  Waiting patiently is not one of my virtues.  I saw a couple of really nice White Diamonds at the LFS yesterday, makes the waiting even harder.