Biological filtration question

HI fish folks. First, the setup: 60 gal tall tank, moderate to heavily planted, Eco-complete substrate, aeration decoration (log cabin with bubble chimney,) Current USA Satellite Pro Plus 48" LED lighting, and a Marineland Emperor 400 Biowheel HOB filter. I dose Flourish twice a week and Flourish Excel daily. The stock:

2 fantail angelfish
1 Dalmatian molly
1 lyretail Dalmatian molly
8 Mickey Mouse platys
6 sunburst platys
6 swordtails
6 spotted corys
3 mystery snails

Water parameters:

pH 7.4
Ammonia between 0 and 0.25ppm
Nitrites 0.25ppm
Nitrates 20ppm
Temp 76 degrees

I'm using fine floss, Seachem Purigen, and the Biowheel in the filter. I don't think it's keeping up. Yesterday I ordered the Sunsun 304b to put on the tank in addition to the Emperor. My plan for media from bottom tray up is coarse filtration then fine filtration sponges in bottom, filter floss next, then Seachem Matrix in the next two with fine filtration pad on the very top to polish the water. Debating putting Purigen in there somewhere.

Question is - I know I need to get that biological filtration going. Is there any way that I can encourage it to get started? Or just put it in and let it run? I still have the Emperor going so I don't think I'll have any cycle, but wanting to make sure. Advice?

 

I would run both for a month together, than if possible, cut up any of the filter media like the mesh from cartridges etc, from the old filter and put it in the baskets of the new Sunsun canister. At that point you shouldn't have any issues.

If you didn't want to wait that long you could try running both for 2 weeks and than when you remove the old filter use a biological booster product Tetra Safe Start or Seachem Stability. I prefer Stability personally. Follow the directions like it's a new tank and you won't have any issues.

 

I would run both for a month together, than if possible, cut up any of the filter media like the mesh from cartridges etc, from the old filter and put it in the baskets of the new Sunsun canister. At that point you shouldn't have any issues.

If you didn't want to wait that long you could try running both for 2 weeks and than when you remove the old filter use a biological booster product Tetra Safe Start or Seachem Stability. I prefer Stability personally. Follow the directions like it's a new tank and you won't have any issues.

I'm going to leave both on there - I won't be taking the Emperor off.

 

Then you have nothing to worry about. You won't need to do anything, as in time bacteria will colonize the new filter.

 

Perfect. That's what I was thinking, but wanted to make sure. Thank you!

 

You could throw in some PURE Bacteria Bioballs.. that will jump start your bacteria and itll start to colonize

 

So I set up the SunSun this way:

Bottom tray - 3 coarse foam pads, 1 fine foam pad
Next tray - filter floss
Next tray - Seachem Matrix with filter floss on top
Top tray - Seachem Purigen with filter floss on top

After not quite a week I can see some starting on the bottom coarse foam.

 

You really don't want floss past your lower trays. After two trays of mechanical filtration the floss in the upper trays is just slowing the flow. Also, when I am getting ready to start a new filter I put some of the bio-media in a mesh bag and drop it in the tank for a week, give or take, and let it accumulate bio-mass before I put it in the filter. But as previous posts mention your water chemistry should only change for the better if you keep the hob running while the canister builds bio-mass.