just upgraded from 45 to 75 gallon tank

[Bertsch]

K I have have finished transfering the fish into from the old tank into the new tank, every thing went great, I followed what I read and what I was told by the LSF. The day I was going to transfer the fish, I disconnected the old tanks filter and ran it into the new tank. I let it run for an hour or two before I began to aclimate the first first.

My question is, how long should I run the old filter in the new tank? So far its been running for two days, I was planning on running the filter for a week in the new tank before removing it. I am just curious if thats enough time or is that too much time to have the old filter running in the new tank? Should I have it run longer than that? The reason I ask is I could never keep the old tanks nitrate levels in check, the nitrite and PH were fine, but Nitrates have always been a problem. I dont want to introduce a problem into the new tank when the params are perfect at the moment.

[Sugar Magnolia]

What kind of filter is it Bertsch?

[TranZ]

Nitrate problem can come from different source. Are you overfeeding? an extra food will eventually turn to nitrate. How many times do u do water change? With fish only and the fish you have ( 2 triggers in a 45g) produce a lot of pooh which eventually turns into nitrate. by doing a weekly 15% WC this will reduce ur nitrate problem. another source is your water. some tap water have a lot of nitrate in it...to reduce this you have too get an RO/DI system or buy RO/DI water from ur LFS.

[Aquatic Realms]

1) What kind of filter do you have?

2) You more than likely have had high phosphate levels also. Did you have algae problems with the old tank? If so, then you did.

3) The high nitrates (and phosphates) tend to stem from one of the following, but not limited to:

3a) Filtration system is not fully developed enough to break down the nitrates also.

3b) You are feeding too much and the extra food is rotting and becoming nitrates.

3c) Your filtration system is not powerful enough to remove the waste products before they turn into detritus or are processed into high levels of nitrates.

3d) You have too much detritus. (A common problem if you have low water flow.)

4) What have you tested for? What are all your past and present water params? What are the test kits you are using and how old are they?

5) Do you have a skimmer? If so, what kind?

6) Do you have a refugium?

Answer these questions and I will pinpoint your problem in a matter of a few sentences. :wink:

[Bertsch]

1) What kind of filter do you have?

2) You more than likely have had high phosphate levels also. Did you have algae problems with the old tank? If so, then you did.

3) The high nitrates (and phosphates) tend to stem from one of the following, but not limited to:

3a) Filtration system is not fully developed enough to break down the nitrates also.

3b) You are feeding too much and the extra food is rotting and becoming nitrates.

3c) Your filtration system is not powerful enough to remove the waste products before they turn into detritus or are processed into high levels of nitrates.

3d) You have too much detritus. (A common problem if you have low water flow.)

4) What have you tested for? What are all your past and present water params? What are the test kits you are using and how old are they?

5) Do you have a skimmer? If so, what kind?

6) Do you have a refugium?

Answer these questions and I will pinpoint your problem in a matter of a few sentences. :wink:
1 - in the old tank is a fluva 204. in the new tank its a DIY sump system. That was built from a 29 gallon tank
2 - I didnt have huge alge problems, there was minor growth in the tank but it wasnt being over run
3 - I was giving 1 cube of brine shrimp, and 1 feeder per trigger in the afternoon
4-I have aquamarine drop tests, and I also have strip tests. Each return the same results
I have a prizm skimmer still on the old tank just to help water circulating. I plan on putting it in the sum/refugium I have on the new tank

I hope that answers everyones questions. Right now the new tanks params are fine, I just didnt know if I should continue to run the old filter in the new tnk

[Aquatic Realms]

If you have a sump in the new tank I would scrap the canister.

You could always use it here and there as a carbon filter to polish your water from time to time.

Otherwise all you need is a really good protein skimmer and if you like a refugium.

[Bertsch]

but should I run the old filter in the new tank for a week to get some of the bacteria in the canister into the tank since the sump does not have any growth in the bioballs or the system? That was my concern, I didnt know how long I should leave the old canister filter running in the new tank to allow the system to develope bacteria since its basiclly a new setup. The old filter will be running in the new tank for a week on wed. I didnt know if I should just pull it out now, or let it run in the new tank for a little longer.

[Aquatic Realms]

Yes, you could do that.

It wouldn't hurt anything, that's for sure. ;)

[Bertsch]

thanks for the replies
Any idea how long I should keep the old filter running in the new tank? Tomorrow is going to be 1 week, should I stop running the filter in the new tank or should I continue to let it run?