Broken Filter!

[Darkshines]

So I recently started cycling a 4' tank with 3 goldfish for my axolotl. Recently being for about a month. Whilst doing this I was cycling the 2' tank he/she is in at the moment. That tank is now cycled so I have been putting water from that tank into my new tank to speed things up. All is going OK then yesterday the power went out and I think we had a couple of surges too.. lost my Wii, computer (not this one obviously), a couple of tropical fish and more importantly the filter in the new tank! I won't have time to get a new one until tomorrow or Sunday. Will this interrupt the tank cycling process?

For the lazy person: Basically, will introducing a new filter into a cycling tank mean I have to start over?

Any help is appreciated.

 

[Jennewt]

It sounds like you had a nearby lightning strike that zapped some things. We've had that happen too, though I've never lost any aquarium appliances.

No, a new filter won't mean that the cycling process has to start over. It will mean that the "capacity" of the tank to deal with waste products is reduced for a while while the new filter is colonized with bacteria, but the rest of the tank is still probably OK. Is there any source of aeration in the tank, such as an airstone or an open lid? This would help keep the water oxygenated until the new filter is in place.

 

[kclinton]

If you get the same kind of filter. Put the old filter media (sponge/carben th inside parts) in the new filter you should be fine.

 

[Darkshines]

Thanks for the replies. I already removed the lid to look at the filter and never put it back on.. so I guess I'll keep it off now! And I never thought of putting the old sponge into the new filter. Thanks a lot!