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I've got a discus pair forming in my 90 gallon display tank and I'm thinking of moving them to my 20 gallon. Normally, I'd just take some filter media from my hang on back filter and transfer it to the new tank. But with two FX canisters on the 90 gallon, I'm not sure what to do. Could I just take some of the ceramic bio pieces from one canister and put them in the 20 gallon filter? Transferring water from one tank to the other might also work. What's your take on this?

When do you plan on transferring the discus to the 20-gallon tank? Instead of immediately switching bio media, could you just add a couple of sponges to the 20-gallon tank to seed it in the meantime? I think switching the bio media is also a good idea, but seeding the tank first might be a safer option.

Re: How to

I was thinking of moving them in a few days. The tank they're in has a decent amount of gravel, about an inch. Moving some of that over could also help, right?

Re: How to

Put those sponges in now, let them seed for a bit. Then when you move the discus, transfer some of that biological media and tank water too. That should be more than enough to get the 20 gallon tank cycled and stable for them.

Re: How to

I'd say start with a small amount, maybe 1/4 cup of the ceramic bio pieces, see how it goes.

Re: How to

A handful of ceramic bio pieces should do the trick. Just keep a close eye on levels and water changes after the transfer to make sure everything's keeping pace.

Re: How to

Consider going bare bottom in the breeding tank, add an egg-laying surface for them. Is the 20 gallon already running and cycled, or does it need setup? If it needs setup, add water from the 90 gallon and some bio media, like bio-balls and a layer of floss on top.

Re: How to

Just had a thought - I've got a 125 gallon tank with a couple of Oscars, been running for 6 months with 4 Aqua clear filters. There's plenty of foam media I could take from that tank. I was thinking the media should come from the same tank as the discus, but is that really necessary?

Re: How to

I've got media from all my tanks mixed in when I set up a new one. I keep some extra on hand just for that. If the Oscars are healthy, the media should work fine for the discus. Same water parameters, so it's all good.

Re: How to

Thanks for the advice. Same tap water for both tanks, and I do 50% water changes twice a week on both.