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Hi,
ok little background first. I had 3 goldfish and a plec in a 6.5g tank. Having discovered that this is infact an incredible bad thing to do i rushed out and bought a 2nd hand 20ukg tank.
Feeling that leaving them in the 6.5g was worse then putting them through a cycle i put them straight into the 20g.
I used the filter sponge from the 6.5g and put it in the fluval 3 which i got with the 20g to help with things. Work really well. Never got an amonia spike and nitrites didn't spike that much.
The fluval 3 was old and on its way out so have bought a new fluval 3Plus but couldnt fit the old filter sponges in this so decided to run it in the tank with the fluval3.
The cycle has nearly completed now - nitrites virtualy none and nitrates very little ( i think due to plants being added )
What im wondering is how long do you think it will take before the new filter will be up and running and i can take the old filter out without getting a mini cycle???

Reason is i have another tank with pregnant platies and i would like to put them in the 20g and have there current tank as the nursery. Gold fish will be relocated into a very large fishpond...i think they deserve it. temp will be risen slowly for the plec.

Any advice would be mucho appriciated.

Generally takes 3-4 weeks for the right bacteria to form. Adding some Cycle, or biospira will help.
Very glad you decided to move the goldfish , hope they'll be going in that pond real soon . Depending on what type of pleco it might get too big even for the 20.

^_^

Hi Babelfish, thanks for the prompt reply.

I'm not keen on adding any chemicals so will leave both filters running for 5-6 weeks to be on the safe side.

goldfish should be moving this weekend so hope you think thats soon enough!!!

I have learnt a lot since joining FP. one thing being plecs and growing rather large. Not sure what type it is - either a BN or a common.But it is growing rather quick..to say the least. At the moment tis about 3" so not to large but am already saving for larger tank (tank fever hitting hard) so if it does continue to grow then I shall be ready.

thanks again for your advice - most welcome

Now remember, Alfie, that I taught Babs everything she knows about fishkeeping, or at least I thought I did...

Had she been listening closely to all the lessons, she would have told you that the "Fluval 3 Plus" was not made for a permanent submersible installation in tanks but merely for "temporary" polishing of tank water as mentioned in the advertising for the filter.

They do have the ability to filter water rather quickly but tend to gunk up just as quick because they're not made for long-term use.

Your choice should have been the "Duetto", the DJ-100 Model being the most powerful in-tank version.

I'll forgive Babs for now because she's a real sweetheart, but she just has to pay more attention in the future.

--garyroland.


[span class="edited"][Edited by garyroland 2004-06-28 19:32][/span]

I'm not keen on adding any chemicals

Not many around here are, myself I think least of all. Cycle and Biospira aren't chemicals, they're esentially the same bacteria that you're trying to grow.
Check out the bottom feeder profiles]http://www.fishprofiles.com/profiles/fw/category.asp?id=Catfish%20and%20Bottom%20Feeders[/link] or [link=planetcatfish.com to try and find a match on your pleco. Stunting will occur even if to you the fish has room to grow.

T'anks gary, I'll do better next class...promise.

^_^

Thanks for the advice - will look into buying a better filter then. Should be ok for the mo as I have the 2 filters running.

The cylce is all but done now so will look into cycle and biospira next time im setting up.

As for the plec im pretty sure its a common plec so will deffo be growing to large for the tank so will also be looking to remhome in the near future.

Thanks for all the advice - really dunno what I'd do without this forum.

Just thought I would add that the goldfish have moved to a pond. A nice big 20,000g. Think that should be big enough for them.