How along to keep fliter from cycle tank

[revelino73]

i just good a filter from a cycle tank. how long do i keep it for. i did a test before i use the filter. reading were ammonia=0 nitrites=0 nitrates = 35ppm.

i am trying to speed up my cycle
my reading
ammonia = 1ppm did water change this morning
Nitrites = 0ppm
nitrites = 0ppm
tank been up for just about 4weeks

tanks guys

[wataugachicken]

i don't really understand your question. . . .

[revelino73]

i transfer a use filter media from a cycle tank to my 30g tank that i started to cycle. how long should i keep the filter media for before i return it.

or can i just switch media bags. the cycle tank has to HOB filters.

[Radar]

Your questions are kinda hard to understand.
Are you saying you got filter media from someones cycled tank 4 weeks ago and put it in your filter?

What kind of test are you useing?
What is your current water readings?
Did you add several fish to the tank when you added the media?

[revelino73]

sorry again. my tank is 4 weeks in to the fish cycle i got the filter media from someone establish tank.
my reading 4 week fish cycle
ammonia = 1ppm did water change this morning
Nitrites = 0ppm
nitrites = 0ppm
tank been up for just about 4weeks

will the media from the establish help my tank

[Radar]

My next question would be did you put the media in 4 weeks ago?
or did you just put it in and what fish do you have in the tank?

[revelino73]

i put the media in today and i have six tetras

[Radar]

If you put it into your filter you should pretty much get a instant cycle. Keep doing reading of your water and do water changes to keep the ammonia down.I would just leave the borrowed media in there and not take it out for about 4 weeks.

[Radar]

Also if you still have a 1PPM of ammonia reading I would do another water change tonight.

[wataugachicken]

if you have more media in there, the bacteria will spread out onto the new, as well as stay on the old stuff you got. if you don't have any other media in there, you should put some in. if you cycle the tank with borrowed media, and return it without giving the bacteria anywhere else to live, most of them will just stay on it and you'll lose the cycle when you return it.

[revelino73]

i put the borrowed media in my HOB filter next to the media that is already there.

[revelino73]

result of test done at 9am today. is my tank cycle? what should i do next

Ammonia = 0
nitrites =0
nitrates = 10-20ppm
6 cardinal tetras
4 fake plants
29gl tank
2 rocks

Can i go ahead and add some more fish. my wife who did not do one water change likes parrot fishes and dwarf Gourami are they compatible. i would like to add one set of schooling fish nice ones with color.

help guys

[silentskream]

i would wait one more day, just to be safe.. and then after that day i would take out the "borrowed"filter media.

then wait one more day, and test to make sure there's no ammonia spike.

if you still have the same readings after that, then go ahead and add more fish. i would not recommend parrot fishes, but dwarf gourami should be fine.. make sure you get one that looks healthy!

[revelino73]

can i get 1 dwarf gourami, 1 angel and some more cardinal tetras from 6 to 10, or add 6 neon tetras and keep the cardinal at 6

[MySpace Mike]

Theyre asking how long they need to keep a cycled medium in an uncycled tank. It's common for people to take a filter or filter media from a cycled tank because of its beneficial bio load to start a cycle on a new tank. Most people use the filter or media for about 4-6 weeks. I personally use my main 55g filters to cycle my other tanks when i set them up. I left the filter on each new tank for about 5 weeks, and my fish have done fine.

[revelino73]

day 2 after use of filter media did test this mourning reading were very good.

ammonia = 0ppm
nitrites = 0 ppm
nitrates = 25-30ppm

hope to add some more fishes tomorrow no more than 3