Growing bacteria

Hello again,
I recently bought a new canister filter for my 55 gallon tank. The filter came with two bags of Bio-max( ceramic bio rings). I put them into mesh bags and placed them into my aquarium. My question is since my tank is established meaning there is a correct amount beneficial bacteria for the bio load. Will any bacteria grow onto these bio rings? Or do I have to increase my stock?
thanks ,
Tom

 

Yes, bacteria will make its way into the new media, but like you mentioned, it won’t drastically increase your BB colony. I think of it more as the current BB spreading out.

 

What filter did you buy, a Fluval?

Are you going to move over the current media into the new filter, or run both the current and new filter at same time?

To steal an economics phrase, there is a point of diminishing returns, where adding more and more bio-media doesn't yield the like addition of colonized beneficial bacteria. When this point is reached and how it can be determined, I cant really say.

If you are going to run two filters at once, then If I can make a suggestion look into adding layers of foam sponge media in the baskets instead of the bio-max.

The brand Aquaneat on Amazon has 2" thick sheets of 20ppi (medium) and 30ppi (fine) foam sponge that work excellent in canisters. I bought a sheet of each and added it to the 3 canisters I own, plus an Aquaclear.

Not only is foam sponge media excellent at colonizing beneficial bacteria, it is a fantastic mechanical filter.

 

Yes, i did buy a Fluval canister filter. I plan on putting all the filter pads from the current filter( Fluval aquaclear 50 hob) into one of the baskets in the canister. Thanks for the suggestion, I‘ll order the Aquaneat sheets plus nitrate reducing sheets. My nitrates out of my tap are quite high (well). Thats my only option other than using RO, which is not going to happen. On average it takes four gallons of water to make one gallon of ro. I’m not throwing away 3/4 of my well water just to do a water change.
Thanks again,
Tom

 

Yep, using RO for WC's in a 55g would be a huge PITA.

You may also want to check out the API Nitra-Zorb product.

It is a large pouch full of resin media that removes ammonia, nitrites and nitrates.

This may help out with the Nitrates in your tap water.

The best part is that the media can be "recharged" in 4 table spoons of aquarium salt and 8 oz of water for 2 hours.

API® | NITRA-ZORB™

Chewy, Amazon and all the other usual suspects carry it online.

Here it's in an Aquaclear 70 on our 55g African cichlid tank. As a result I didn't expect, the water has been super clear the last 2 weeks. Ive never had an issue with water clarity in this tank as its always been clear, but now even more so.




Another trick to help manage nitrates is adding Golden Pothos (common house plant ivy) to the tank. Only the roots are in the water, as the plant can be wedged between the rim and lid, with the main plant laying across the lid. I started doing this a couple of months ago after seeing members on the forum doing it. So far, our Pothos is growing fine. It doesn't require any special lighting, only whatever the room has to offer from a window or overhead ceiling lights. They aren't picky about lighting, that's why they are so popular in offices and as common house plants.

 

Hello again,
I recently bought a new canister filter for my 55 gallon tank. The filter came with two bags of Bio-max( ceramic bio rings). I put them into mesh bags and placed them into my aquarium. My question is since my tank is established meaning there is a correct amount beneficial bacteria for the bio load. Will any bacteria grow onto these bio rings? Or do I have to increase my stock?
thanks ,
Tom

Life span of bacteria is really short, in an established tank theyre dying off and reproducing at the same rate, so they will grow on the biorings but there will be less else-wear. If you don't add more fish (and your fish don't grow bigger, then the overall number of bacteria alive will stay unchanged as the bacteria colony will only grow to meet bioload.


Caveat, how established is "established". The amount of filtration you need to keep a tank healthy is smaller than the amount youd need to keep ammonia and nitrite at zero without ever doing a water change*. Adding biomax provides a big safety net for keeping NH3 and NO3 low. And is one of the best mediums for aerobic bacteria growth so new colonies will prefer that to plastic plants, gravel, etc.

*This type of filtration only deals with aerobic bacteria. Water changes are still very much required.
Without anarobic bacteria or plants nitrates will get too high and require a water change. Evaporation will make hardness go up requiring a water change. Fish waste will neutrilize the ions in the water, making pH drop requiring a water change.