Tank cycling question

[brett]

I have 2 aquariums, aquarium 1 has fish and is quite large. aquarium 2 has the axy and is smaller.

The axy is growing and I want to move him to aquarium 1 and the fish to aquarium 2.

To avoid possible cross-contamination, I will move the water and gravel etc (have loads of buckets ready).

However I want to leave the filters in-place as aquarium 1 has a big filter and aquarium 2 has a smaller filter.

But, I cant swap the filter media because they are different sizes so I was going to buy new filer media.
Buy buying new media will that, in any way, cause me problems with tank cycling i.e. new media = no beneficial bacteria, so ineffective filtration for a time(how long?) and possibly a rise in nitrites etc?. I want to avoid cycling the aquariums if possible.

 

[sharn]

i dont see why it would be a problem to keep the filters as they are providing both your aquariums are disease free. do not wash the gravel as you move it as it contains good bacteria. when i moved my axies into their bigger tank i just transfered the water and stones, topped it up and it was all go. i would moniter it carefully though just incase you dont have enough bacteria and it needs to cycle a bit more. you could also put some ornaments etc you used in the tanks into the new one just to add a bit more good stuff just in case