Preparing seeded filter media for new tank

Hey guys I currently have an established planted 10 gallon tank that is running an Aquaclear 20. For Christmas I am getting a new 29 gallon tank. I plan to run an Aquaclear 70 on the 29 gallon. I know that the Aquaclear 70 is larger than the Aquaclear 20 so if I bought the foam sponge that goes inside of the media basket of the 70 and just set it inside of my tank would that be enough to help jump start the cycling process? Basically what I’m trying to ask is does the filter media have to be inside of the filter to really jumpstart the growth of beneficial bacteria or can it just lay at the bottom of the tank and when I get my new tank I can just plop the large foam pad into it

 

Doing that wouldn't do that much. You would be better off running your new filter on the old tank for several weeks, taking your existing filter and running it on the new tank for a while or taking some existing media from your cycled filter and adding it to your new filter.

 

It would certainly help, but it's difficult to tell how much. It's my understanding that the beneficial bacteria colony benefits from water flow, which helps to bring ammonia and nitrites to it, so I'd suggest placing it near the intake from the AQ20.

I see carsonsgjs posted while I was typing. If putting the whole new filter in the established tank is an option that would probably be better.

 

It would certainly help, but it's difficult to tell how much. It's my understanding that the beneficial bacteria colony benefits from water flow, which helps to bring ammonia and nitrites to it, so I'd suggest placing it near the intake from the AQ20.

I see carsonsgjs posted while I was typing. If putting the whole new filter in the established tank is an option that would probably be better.

That’s what I thought. My 10 gallon belongs to my long finned betta so it would be way way too much flow for him.

Doing that wouldn't do that much. You would be better off running your new filter on the old tank for several weeks, taking your existing filter and running it on the new tank for a while or taking some existing media from your cycled filter and adding it to your new filter.

That’s what I thought. My 10 gallon belongs to my long finned betta so it would be way way too much flow for him.

 

That’s what I thought. My 10 gallon belongs to my long finned betta so it would be way way too much flow for him.

That’s what I thought. My 10 gallon belongs to my long finned betta so it would be way way too much flow for him.

Make a diffuser for the filter.

 

Since you only have a single fish, your Betta, in the 10 gallon tank there isn't going to be a great deal of bacteria in his tank. The amount of bacteria depends on the bio-load in our tanks. I really don't think media from this tank would do much to help cycle another tank unless you only plan on moving him to the bigger tank with no tank mates.

I am not saying it won't help at all but am saying there is going to be very little bacteria. Definitely not enough to cycle another tank. Maybe enough to give the cycle a very slight nudge in the right direction.

 

Hey guys I currently have an established planted 10 gallon tank that is running an Aquaclear 20. For Christmas I am getting a new 29 gallon tank. I plan to run an Aquaclear 70 on the 29 gallon. I know that the Aquaclear 70 is larger than the Aquaclear 20 so if I bought the foam sponge that goes inside of the media basket of the 70 and just set it inside of my tank would that be enough to help jump start the cycling process? Basically what I’m trying to ask is does the filter media have to be inside of the filter to really jumpstart the growth of beneficial bacteria or can it just lay at the bottom of the tank and when I get my new tank I can just plop the large foam pad into it

I'm assuming but not positive you are not going to keep the old 10 gallon running and moving everything over? If so, I think you should simply put the media from the old small filter into the new filter along with more foam media that will fit in the larger filter. This way you have all the media as before and then extra which is always better.
The BB needs flow to grow, so just putting new media in the water is better than nothing but I doubt it will be very helpful.
If there is a pretty large load of fish I think I would watch for ammonia for a couple weeks too and do water changes if needed. If you do get ammonia watch the nitrite levels and change water for that too. Not to eliminate but just keep it low so it won't harm the fish while the cycle catches up.