Filter question

A while back, I won a beautiful Eheim canister filter in a raffle at the fish club. It's rated for a 60 gallon tank, maximum. I just set it up on my 75 as an eventual second filter - it already has two hang on the backs, but one is wearing out.
The filters are thoroughly cycled, and it's an established tank in which I hope to breed my Steatocranus sp 'intermediate', a current loving fish. They are being a bit too aggressive among themselves to settle down, so the added current should help dial that down. It usually does with Cichlids.

So, given that the tank is already a healthy, not overstocked and decently filtered tank, how long would you guys expect it to take for the canister to come alive? How long should I wait til I take off the rattling HOB (those darn Aquaclears - I paid good money for it in 1992 and I find that changing the impeller shaft doesn't always work the third time)?

Transfer the biomedia from the AC's into the Eheim and I would say its good to go. I like a minimum 8 weeks to seed a filter with all new ceramics.

I would agree, move some of the filter media over and your good. When I set up new filter I just take some pot scrubbers from an established system and it's up and running.

Steve

I agree with the above suggestions. I, however, am slightly too cautious, so if it were me, I would transfer most of the seeded media into the canister, leave the HOBs  (with extra sponge to compensate) and canister running for at least a month or longer, and then transfer the whole lot of whatever will fit into the canister....!

If I have added no established media, how long would it take? For the moment, I am using it like a second power head for these rapids fish.

If you have "X" amount of media from the AC's already supporting the tank, then transferring the same media to the canister would make you instantly good. The can likely holds more, so the colony will only grow larger.

If you are not adding any old media I would give 30 days and should be good to go. Even a few drops from old media and 30 days will establish filter.

I read your last post wrong Gary.... with NO added media, I wouldnt be comfortable with any less than 8 weeks.

Thanks. it is more a curiosity question. In my mind, I was thinking 6 weeks, but then I realized there was absolutely no basis for thinking that. It was a number I had pulled out of... nowhere. I wanted to see what others thought. 8 weeks is probably safer.

GaryE wrote:... it already has two hang on the backs, but one is wearing out.
The filters are thoroughly cycled, and it's an established tank ...
So, given that the tank is already a healthy, not overstocked and decently filtered tank, how long would you guys expect it to take for the canister to come alive?

GaryE wrote:Thanks. it is more a curiosity question. In my mind, I was thinking 6 weeks, but then I realized there was absolutely no basis for thinking that. It was a number I had pulled out of... nowhere. I wanted to see what others thought. 8 weeks is probably safer.

Naive question: why should it take longer than 30 days? 30 days is what it should take to establish a small colony of bacteria from a brand new tank. In an establish tank with fish: I would espect even faster colonisation of the filter.

GaryE wrote:How long should I wait til I take off the rattling HOB ....?

If that is disturbing, I would take off the rattling one right away. You have a second one running, it is an establish tank, not overstocked, plus the new cansiter filter adds current to push water against stones, plants, etc all covered of biofilm. If letting the HOB rattling is not a problem I would leave it two weeks to a month.