Bio filter

[CandiBug2]

Right now I have a 55 gallon tank, which I want to keep stocked with only angelfish eventually. I would like to get a 30 gallon in the future for bettas. Assuming the 55 gallon is cycled (which it isn't yet) I read somewhere online that I can put filter media from that tank into my new tank to "seed" the new one. Does this automatically cycle the new tank? or does it just speed up the cycling process? I want to wait to get the 30 gallon until my 55 gallon has cycled to make it much easier to cycle the 30 gallon. Also, the 55 gallon was given to me and was previously used for freshwater fish. When I got the tank, a bunch of stuff came with it, including a biowheel. When I got the stuff, it was dry. So does this mean that all the bacteria are gone? Putting the biowheel into the tank wouldn't do much good?

[OrionGirl]

Using media from an established tank will result in a tank that will immediately support fish equivalent to that in the established tank, minus a bit. For example--I have a 40 with an AC with two sponge filters. If I take one of the sponges and put it in a new tank, it will support a little less than half the bio-load of the 40, since not all of the benefical bacteria reside within the sponges. So, it is an 'instant' cycle, within specific limits. I would still monitor the new tank for a while, just to be on the safe side.

For the bio-wheel--it's still usable, but if it's dried, the beneficial bacteria died off. I would clean it well--soak it in water, scrub it with a toothbrush to get any dried muck off, rinse, and put it in--the bacteria will happily re-colonize it.

HTH