I'm putting together a sump for my 6' display tank which currently has two fully cycled Aquaone CF1200 canisters fitted. I plan on using the filter media from the canisters in the sump to give it a kick start. I also have a fully cycled large Eheim canister filter on a 5' tank that I want to use the media from in the sump for the same reason.

I plan on selling the fish and taking down the tank with the Eheim fitted this weekend, but won't be putting the sump together for about 2 to 3 weeks during which time the bacteria would probably die making using the media probably a waste of time.

I was thinking of ways to keep the media active and wondered if I put the media in mesh bags and simply placed these in the 6' would the bacteria (or at least some of them) stay alive?

Any thoughts or other suggestions on how to maintain the viability of the media anyone?

Thanks,

Barry

if there is no running water, all bacteria will vanish after a while....plus,
if there are no food for them, they will vanish the same.

now if you can wait till the new tank and sump is ready, you can dump all
media in the biological compartment of the sump and have an instant cycled
huge tank.

Perhaps I didn't make myself clear Paul, the 6' tank is well stocked and has the existing filtration running so the water is moving.

yea...i was confuse with that...
so you are taking down the tank and the filtration with it.... and want to keep
all media alive? by putting all media in a mesh and dip it on water tank...is that
what you mean? for long period...no way.

PAUL wrote:


I guess I am still confusing you - let me try again

I have two stocked and fully cycled tanks (5' and 6')

For now the 6' tank (with two canister filters) is staying as it is.

I am taking down the 5' tank, selling the fish and canister filter but I want to keep the media from the filter alive.

The plan is to put the media (in mesh bags) in the 6' tank.

In a couple of weeks I will take the media from the 6' tank filters and the 5' tank filter and put into the new sump and fit to the 6'.

now i got it....yes, you can because the 6' tank is still running.... there
is water movement and foods for the bacteria which is the waste of your fishes
in it. and yes, you can dump them later in your sump and have instant cycled sump.

PAUL wrote:

Thanks Paul, I was hoping that would be the case.

Do you mean to leave the media on the tank bottom in mess bags? the bacteria will need a flow to produce enough oxygen. I don't think it will receive enough oxygen to last a number of days or hours even. it will last longer than just leaving it out in a wet bag but I am not certain it will last as long as you hope.

OK guys, thanks for the thoughts, but the situation has now been OBE. I have found a buyer for all three filters and he's happy to take them all at the same time (after I get the sump up and running)

Now I can keep all three running until the sump is built.

cool, good luck with it

Thanks, I will post pictures once it's built.

Trekrider wrote:

nice you found a solution.
Please take some step by step pics of the building of your sump.
I'd love to watch you buildt it, instead of seeing it when it's done!