BLAH! another cycling question!

[~*LuvMyKribs*~]

It was about time for me to change the nasty looking foam insert in my aquaclear 150 power filter for my 20 gallon tank. So I came up with an idea..... I added the old messy sponge to my new 32 gallon tank I just began to cycle a couple days ago. I put it in the filter in place of the clean sponge the new tank came with. I also added a bucket of tank water from my 20-gal into the 32 gallon.

Now, my questions is, how long will it take for this already- there bacteria to grow enough to cycle the 32 gallon? I'm sure its faster than normal fishless cycling. Anybody know? :confused:


-Diana

[OrionGirl]

Is there a source of ammonia in the new tank? If not, the bacteria will starve in a few days. Otherwise, yes, moving the sponge from one tank to another will provide a ready made 'cycle', but only for the fish load of the old tank. Testing is still the best way to determine if the tank is stable.

[aquariumfishguy]

What you did was great, infact most people dont know to do this so congrats on the knowledge the rest of us had yet to learn when we started! ;)

...but did you also know that on your already-cycled tank you dont need to buy a new foam insert for your aquaclear? Just rinse the white foam block out in tank water (of course, NOT in the fish tank!) and then the foam should be about as white as it was when you bought it. I do this until the thing falls apart...:o

[~*LuvMyKribs*~]

Yeah I usually rinse it in old tank water, but it was about 6 or so months old so I figured it was time to put a new one in (the rest of the filter is dirty enough to sustian the bacteria I think).

SOoooo what should I do to add ammonia? Because it's a malawi cichlid tank I have crushed limstone and coral gravel that will raise the ph, so i can't just add a couple fish from my normal ph tank, can i?

If i go to the pet store soon and get two synodontis (wich i plan on getting for my cichlids anyways), will they be ok in the new tank? They will help cycle?

I put a bit of fish food in the new tank today, will that provide some ammonia for the bacteria?

:confused:

Also the tank is fairly cold right now because i'm just getting the suction cups for my heater replaced (they didn't work- cheap!). So will the bacteria also survive in colder water? Its about room temp i think.

[OrionGirl]

I wouldn't use fish, especially with the high pH--at high pH, all ammonia is toxic, instead of some of it becoming ammonium, which is not toxic. So, any fish in there would be prone to gill burns. Adding food (enough for the quantity of fish you want to have) will work, as will adding household ammonia.

[viboy]

don't replace the sponge from your ac until, like aquariumfishguy said, it disintegrates. I have had mine in for over a year and a half with no problems. I just rinse well every time I do a water change.

Easiest way to put ammonia in the tank is to go to your local grocery store and pick some up from the cleaning section. Just make sure that it is not sudsy ammonia.

[aquariumfishguy]

Viboy...ITA :D I was just going to tell her...I keep mine for years at a time w/o them falling apart. 5-6 months is nothing...:p

[~*LuvMyKribs*~]

Ohhhh.... but is it any consolidation that i leave my carbon baggie in there until the thin netting around it disintegrates? :D And i find little peices of it in my tank.... :mad:


hehe
ah well. i bought three pepper catfish and put them in the new tank. i tested the ph and its still neutral, so i will remove the catfish when the ph starts to get high, (i guess it takes a while for the substrate to raise it).

when the tank is cycled i'll put them in my 20 gal with my other catfish and have a nice little school.

then i'll get my synodontis and add them to the tank in place of the cory cats. then i'll get my cichlids and VOILA! :D