Cycling with existing tanks

[dent20]

How can I use my 55s and their bio-wheels to help with the cycling of a 125? I'll be using a canister filter.

[KarlTh]

As with any such situation, just clean the filters in the old tanks as you normally would from time to time and pour the crud into the new tank. Once the filter in the new tank has sucked up the gunk you can, IME, start stocking straight away as long as you build up your stock slowly.

[Tolak]

The bio filtration on your existing tank has enough bacteria to sustain that bio load. It doesn't know or care what size tank it is running.

A mature colony of nitrifying bacteria can double in 24 hours.

Knowing these two things you can take about 1/3 of your bio media from the tank you are running, set it up on the new tank, and add the corresponding bio load of new fish. This is known as cloning, once you have one decent size mature tank you don't have to go through the cycling process with any new tanks.

I haven't cycled a tank in many years, from a handful of tanks to over 30, all cloned.

[Rbishop]

What kind of bio wheel filters do you currently have? What canister are you planning on the new tank?

[dent20]

I have Penguin 350 bio wheels and I'm getting a Rena Xp3 Flostar Filter, which I know little about since I haven't used one before. The guy at the store sold me on it.

[Rbishop]

you can take some of the pre-filter sponges/pads and stuff them in the rena to help things along

[jm1212]

you could probably cut the carbon out of the cartridges and leave it in the canister.

[dent20]

Thanks for the feedback.

[kay-bee]

...and of course the 125gal will require an immediate ammonia source to keep the bacteria functional and prevent die off.