cycling tank with used media

[vtx-coley]

I know it's been covered, but I just want to share my experience so far. I picked up a used 29 gallon that wasn't set up. I washed the tank and filter (Emperor 280) with bleach, added new gravel and fake plants, filled it up and let the filter run for 3 days. On the 4th day I added 6 Panda Corys, 2 Platys from a 10 gallon, 5 Zebra Danios and 2 Honey Gouramis from a 20 gallon.

In the 10 gallon I was running an Aqua Clear 30 with 2 filter medias for at least 3 months. I put it on the 29 and left one filter media in the AC and I put the other media in the Emperor. I also transfered 2 pieces of driftwood and two low light plants.

It's been over a week and the water has been testing great. Using the API liquid test kit I'm getting readings of 0, 0, 10-15. I'm still waiting for a mini cycle. I thought I'd get a little ammonia showing up.....and I know I still might, but so far so good.

[msjinkzd]

glad to hear its working out for you

[Wat2Go]

I usually also grab a handful of gravel from an established tank...
My last two tanks had an instant cycle, by using a LOT of established gravel and established filter material. I do however stock a new tank a little slower than you have...Sure is nice though, to hear it is going so well (in my tanks amonia shows up after a week or so (if it shows up at all)...so keep an eye on it)!

L.

[vtx-coley]

Thanks....I will. I did a 30% water change tonight just to be safe. I would have used some gravel, but my other tank has multi colored gravel and the ten had sand.....as I'm writing this I realize now that I could have put some in a nylon stocking.

I would have liked to do it a bit slower, but I kind of had to do it that way.

My first tank, the 20H, I cycled with fish. I had no idea what I was doing....not that I'm an expert now, but I bought the tank filled it up then added fish within an hour. I only lost one, but I had to do a ton of water changes...sometimes two or three times a day. I learned the hard way, but the tank is running great now.

I'm prepared to change water daily to keep my fish safe.

[vtx-coley]

I'm going on week three and I had a bit of ammonia show up (less than .25), I did 25% water changes two consecutive days and kept a close eye on it. Now I'm back down to 0, 0, 10 on the big three.

It's going better than I expected.

[shaggbark]

Thanks for keeping us posted.....I'm doing the same on my new 90 gallon. I also noticed slight ammonia 6 days later, just .25 but enough for me to do a PWC.