Can I turn off second filter on main tank?

[Ciijae]

Hi everyone

I have a 90L/24gallon tank with filter, heater, air pump and 7 Danios. I recently purchased a separate 12l tank to use as a hospital /quarantine tank when needed. The filter/air pump that came with this little tank I have put in my main tank ( in addition to my main filter) I read that this was the best thing to do so when I need to use my hospital /quarantine tank the small filter can be transferred over. I just wondered what would happen if I turned the little secondary filter off, but kept it in the tank? (It is extremely loud when on)

Any tips/advice? ( sorry if this is a really stupid question)

 

[lauraf]

Not a stupid question at all. The reason it is suggested that you run your hospital tank filter in your main tank is so that the filter media cultivates the beneficial bacteria which will instantly cycle the hospital tank when you transfer the filter over. It's the media itself that's important. It needs to be in the main tank in contact with the tank water. Instead of putting the actual filter setup on the main tank, you can actually take the filter media out, stuff it in the filter cartridge space of your existing filter if there's room, and then when you need the hospital tank up and running, you pop the media into the smaller filter.

 

[Ciijae]

Brillant *thumbsups

The sponge wont fit in my main filter ( Aquael fan plus 2) so if I just put it into some tights ( un worn) and bury it in the gravel will that work?

Ive attached a pic of the filter that came with the hospital tank. It has a little gravel at the bottom so if I also put the gravel in with the tights and sponge/foam will that be ok?

 

[lauraf]

Even better if you put the gravel in...the more surface area to get seeded, the more vigorous your bb (beneficial bacteria) colony will be when you transfer it over...

 

[Ciijae]

Awesome *BOUNCINGS *thumbsups

 

[OrangeCones]

Keep in mind that if you ever have a disease outbreak in your main tank, do NOT use the filter material/gravel from it to put fish from it into the hospital tank (doing so will tranfer the disease with it). In that case, use fresh filter media and do daily water changes to keep the ammonia/nitrite from getting high until it a biofilter is established.