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Seeding cannisters - in series?


the-obstacle

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I'm trying to seed my 2 new Aqua One 1200s on my 75L tank. I've got one plumbed in with the eheim that was originally on there and I'm wondering if I could plumb the second one in series so the water comes out of the tank - into 1200 #1 - into 1200#2 - back to tank.

Because the eheim is the permanent filter on this tank the 1200 takes up the other side of the tank so I couldn't add the 3rd onto the side of the tank as I'm out of space for fittings.

I suspect I'll have to at least take the pipe running from filter #1 to filter #2 up to tank level to give the pump something to do but other than that will this work? Is it worth it? Is it a stupid idea?

Your thoughts please..

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Hang it over the front if its only temporary [if I've understood your problem?].

Running in series could cause problems if the pumps aren't evenly matched, and as the bacteria establish in the first filter and start consuming the waste there will be less for the bacteria in the following filters to consume.

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Yeah, I realised I didn't explain the reason so I was busy editing when you replied. I'm out of space for fittings so can't get another set in the tank unfortunately.

So there is no room for more pipes going into gaps in lid/bracing? just trying to understand the situation.

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Hang it over the front if its only temporary [if I've understood your problem?].

Running in series could cause problems if the pumps aren't evenly matched, and as the bacteria establish in the first filter and start consuming the waste there will be less for the bacteria in the following filters to consume.

yeah, I guess I can always just split the media across the 2 filters when it comes time to run them up anyway.

Right - don't mind me :)

Oh - thanks for the contact about the filter socks - I've been in touch with them.

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Cool! Look forward to seeing your set up, I need to hurry up with mine!! :oops:

Haha, mine's a long way off. Stripping silicone sucks. I'm now trying to figure out how to get the last little bits off between the sides so I can reseal them. I can't seperate them much as I'm doing one joint at a time to keep the shape and use the rest of the tank as the jig. I'll get there.

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I tried running a couple 404s in a series once. I did it to see if they'd self prime easier but was expecting a drop in overall flow(But higher head capacity). Instead it started an odd surging.

Ahh, I didn't think of that but I can see now how the pumps would fight each other. Thanks, I've decided against it and will wait until the big tank is ready to unbox the second one. :) New things smell nice.

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just run the filter on the same tank, same effect

better yet, mix teh bio media, split it 50 50 an run it in the same tank.

over feed the fish slightly, and do regular water changes

it will extablish in no time

if you plan on expanding soon.

i suggest to plan ahead

at any given time, i have enough bio media for 2 to 3 small to medium canisters...... 'jsut in case' haha

.... im a freak.... anyways

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just run the filter on the same tank, same effect

better yet, mix teh bio media, split it 50 50 an run it in the same tank.

over feed the fish slightly, and do regular water changes

it will extablish in no time

if you plan on expanding soon.

i suggest to plan ahead

at any given time, i have enough bio media for 2 to 3 small to medium canisters...... 'jsut in case' haha

.... im a freak.... anyways

Yeah, that's why I'm trying to get these set up. The 700L is being torn down / rebuilt over the next few weeks and I figure I've got a few weeks to get the filters ready.

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Are you going to fully stock the 700L as soon as it is fixed?

Not at all. I think I know where you're going with this - it's going to have less stock than the 75L does at the moment so as soon as I change it to the bigger tank there'll be less for the bacteria to live on and they'll die off anyway?

Ultimately it'll have enough for the 2 cannisters worth of bio media to be working well but on day one it won't have the load to support the bacteria base.

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Just move the filter along with the fish from the 75L tank then and run the other filter as well.. If you are sticking stuff all fish into a big tank the ammonia and stuff is so diluted it is very hard to get a large enough spike to do damage, I usually chuck a small amount of cycled media in a filter and chuck the fish in, my theory is the cycled media that you add will quickly colonise the new filter and you will be away. I have setup hundreds of tanks this way with no issues.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Ahh, I didn't think of that but I can see now how the pumps would fight each other. Thanks, I've decided against it and will wait until the big tank is ready to unbox the second one. :) New things smell nice.

I've run canisters in series several times, in fact I have two in series now on my axolotl tank (the first, an Eheim 2213, being empty of media and media containers, solely there as a sand-trap).

I find that it's best not to have them both/all plugged in (unless you *really* need max flow). Just have the most powerful one plugged in and let the other/s be essentially a passive filter.

However, the advice you've got here is good. Just run them on the new tank when you establish it. As long as the existing canister isn't left without flow for more than about an hour* it'll continue to do the job on the new tank. As you add more bioload the bacteria will grow to cope with it, in whatever filters you have running.

(* If it's going to be more than an hour before having it running in the new tank just run it on a bucket of old tank water. Otherwise the bacteria can die from lack of oxygen.)

Good luck with the new tank.

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