How long does it take for beneficial bacteria (BB) to grow on bio media?

Aquarium filters are responsible for cleaning water both mechanically & biologically. They trap solid particles such as fish poop, remaining food, dead leaves, & other matter that would otherwise decay & pollute water. Mechanical filter media is used for removing solid particles from the water. Fish poop, & other decomposed matter will release toxic ammonia that will escape the mechanical filter media, so you will need some sort of biological filter media too that will react with the toxins & wipe them out. Bio media is used for wiping out dangerous chemicals from the fish tank water. Bio media is the best place for good bacteria to spread on its surface, & beneficial bacteria upon touching the toxins will remove them.


How long does it take for beneficial bacteria (BB) to grow on bio media if your fish tank is cycled?

If your fish tank is established which means that it has been cycled, then you can expect BB to grow on the fish tank surface, especially on the bio media inside the filter. Setting up a new filter in an already cycled fish tank will let good bacteria to colonize on the bio media within 2 weeks. Fresh bio media will have a fresh surface that lacks BB. Bio media only offers a surface for BB to spread on them. For best filtration, you should allow water to flow through the bio media, & hence BB will react with the dangerous chemicals when they flow through it, & will remove them from the water. If water is flowing over the filter media, then it will not properly react with the bio media, & hence not all toxins will be removed. Make sure you do not allow fish poop, & other debris to enter the bio media compartment because they will stick in the media, & will reduce their efficiency of cleaning.

Setting up a new filter in a cycled aquarium will take up to 2 weeks to form beneficial bacteria on its surface. Wait for a bit more if you want your bio media to have heaps of BB.

 

How long does it take for beneficial bacteria BB to grow on bio media if your fish tank is not cycled?

If you are starting a new fish tank, then it is recommended to cycle it before introducing fish. Setting up a new bio media filter in a fresh aquarium will take from 3 to 6 weeks to fully cycle, & then it will wipe out dangerous chemicals from the aquarium water. If things are setup correctly, then it can take up to 6 weeks for BB to form on your filter bio media.

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