quick cycle

[Tener ds]

as most off u know i need to get my new tank sorted quick.
will it help if i add water from my other tank (when i do water changes)
to the new tank to speed up the cycling?

 

[scatz]

the quickest way to cycle the tank would be to take some dirty media from the established tank and put in the new one, plus add some old water to the new tank

 

[Tener ds]

the quickest way to cycle the tank would be to take some dirty media from the established tank and put in the new one, plus add some old water to the new tank

Cool,I take it that can add the water with out the poo and crap that
get sucked up when I change the water? I don't won't to upset the filter just yet. So I'll just use the water.

 

[scatz]

the filter will still need to cycle, it will still take a fair while just using dirty water, would be much quicker if you could split the dirty filter media between the 2 tanks

 

[Tener ds]

the filter will still need to cycle, it will still take a fair while just using dirty water, would be much quicker if you could split the dirty filter media between the 2 tanks

Sorry about this, I'm such a noob....if I remove the dirty filter media
and squeezed it over my new filter would that work?

 

[Doodles]

Sorry about this, I'm such a noob....if I remove the dirty filter media
and squeezed it over my new filter would that work?

:yes:
That would help, tank water doesn't really contain any bacteria but I would still use some as its aged water that would be better for the fish rather than all new water especially if you are adding fish straight away.


we were all noobs once:yes: and im still learning, so dont apologise

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

if I remove the dirty filter media and squeezed it over my new filter would that work?

It will to some degree, but what ever anybody tells you, you can't really cycle a tank properly quickly. As Scatz says filter media would be better.

I know you need an answer now, so I'd try and keep up the water changes (at least 10% a day) and use a water conditioner that is active against ammonia.

For future reference, I keep a spare "biological" sponge filter in all the tanks, you can use an air powered sponge, (like these http://www.ta-aquaculture.co.uk/Filtration-Air.htm say the Bio Sponge Filter FS 1604) or power the sponge from a power-head (I use a maxi-jet 400's), (you can pick these up really cheap on ebay), either of these options use hardly any power and are a back up if the main filter fails.

I don't even try and cycle my tanks now, I add a power-head sponge filter from an established tank, I plant them up (plants are great for water quality and I only have planted tanks), introduce some Daphnia, MTS etc and then just leave the tank until all the algae and water quality issues are over (usually 6 weeks to 2 months), then I introduce the fish.

The article here has links to a lot of information about water quality and filtration. http://plecoplanet.com/?page_id=829. Best of luck.

cheers Darrel

 

[Tener ds]

the filter will still need to cycle, it will still take a fair while just using dirty water, would be much quicker if you could split the dirty filter media between the 2 tanks

Just had a looksee at my filter media,is it the spunge at the bottom ?
The one that's coverd in brown crap!

 

[Doodles]

Just had a looksee at my filter media,is it the spunge at the bottom ?
The one that's coverd in brown crap!

yup. Tell us exactly what media you have in your filter before you start taking bits out.

 

[Tener ds]

Ok,1 foam pad (spunge),1 carbon sachet,1 biomaxon a mesh bag.in that order
from the bottom up.

 

[graham26]

Tetra safestart is a good product for rapidly introducing healthy bacteria to a new tank i have used it myself & found it too work very well

 

[Kingtiger]

The best way I found is go into your LFS and ask them nicely if they can sell you some old media instead of the packaged media. If your LFS is up to scratch they should be using matrix on some of their tanks. Instant cycled with minimimal fuss and no hassle.

Cheers

 

[Tener ds]

The best way I found is go into your LFS and ask them nicely if they can sell you some old media instead of the packaged media. If your LFS is up to scratch they should be using matrix on some of their tanks. Instant cycled with minimimal fuss and no hassle.

Cheers

i tryed, they said they didn,t have any.they did say to squeeze the sponge from the other tank into or in front of the new filter.
wot do u guys think?
any way got an air stone fitted now,tank looks good i think.
just waitin for the plants to show up now:

wot do u guys think?

 

[foti]

i think aslong as you added some bacteria into your filter and old water from your other tank you should be fine in a couple of days as long as you feed the bacteria !
meaning if you add some fish food or even a cheap small fish that will speed up your bacteria growth to handle the spike of adding your fish !
if not add your fish in slowlly e.g. 1 tomorro then the other 2 two days later so on.
this is why you what your tank to have bacteria so it could handle the nitrate spike which could kill your fish but 100% will put alot of strain on them
you could just not feed for the first 2 days after adding fish then just add food slowlly keeping there pooping to a minimum.

dont worry to much, the airation is well done

ps i like the set up till now more pic's

 

[GrubbyGirl]

I think we need to just hang on a little here just remember the filter material he is planning on taking from his other tank is NOT cycled itself, 2 days ago it was still showing 0,1 nitrite and that tank is already way overstocked so him taking media from that filter is going to cause big problems in that tank un less he takes half the occupants too. To be honest I think you should leave everything where it is as your current filter is nearly cycled and do a fishless cycle in your new tank and BE PATIENT.

Remember he's had a few threads open about losing fish and water problems so I really don't think we should be encouraging him to any more than a proper fishless cycle or he's going to have 2 messed up tanks and more dead fish.

 

[Tener ds]

I think we need to just hang on a little here just remember the filter material he is planning on taking from his other tank is NOT cycled itself, 2 days ago it was still showing 0,1 nitrite and that tank is already way overstocked so him taking media from that filter is going to cause big problems in that tank un less he takes half the occupants too. To be honest I think you should leave everything where it is as your current filter is nearly cycled and do a fishless cycle in your new tank and BE PATIENT.

Remember he's had a few threads open about losing fish and water problems so I really don't think we should be encouraging him to any more than a proper fishless cycle or he's going to have 2 messed up tanks and more dead fish.

ok,ill be patient.i won,t add fish till the plants are in,witch won,t be till the weekend and then
ill leave it for another week.
did a new test before i left for work,and things are looking better.

 

[GrubbyGirl]

ok,ill be patient.i won,t add fish till the plants are in,witch won,t be till the weekend and then
ill leave it for another week.
did a new test before i left for work,and things are looking better.

It will take more than a week to cycle a tank - more like 4-6 weeks. Get yourself some ammonia and do it properly

 

[GrubbyGirl]

Look at these sites

http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/113861-fishless-cycling/

http://aquamaniacs.net/forum/cms_view_article.php?aid=31

http://www.ehow.com/how_2166427_do-fishless-cycle.html

 

[Tener ds]

Look at these sites

http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/113861-fishless-cycling/

http://aquamaniacs.net/forum/cms_view_article.php?aid=31

http://www.ehow.com/how_2166427_do-fishless-cycle.html

Ok,cheers. After the week after the plants go in,the tank
will have been cyclein for 3 weeks.

 

[Lornek8]

Ok,cheers. After the week after the plants go in,the tank
will have been cyclein for 3 weeks.

People talk about tanks cycling but its actually the filters that need to be cycled. "Cycling" is the establishment of bacteria in the filters. Bacteria is living organisms & reuqire a food source to establish. Without the ammonia food source you could run the tank virtually forever & not "cycle" the tank, or should I say filters. Thus, even though your tanks been up for awhile & after you add the plants its been 3 weeks, since you don't have fish in the tank producing waste and/or your not doing a fishless cycle & adding ammonia, you really are still at day 0 for filter cycling. Even after adding the gunk from another tank, without a food source the bacteria will not multiple/live.