Cycling using rock from old turtle tank?

R

redinfinity

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Aug 1, 2009
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Hi guys,

I'm new here, starting my first tank soon. I'm gonna be ready to start cycling the tank next week once my filter comes in.

I was wondering, I had a turtle for over 10 years and had a rock inside his tank for about 5 years or so. I was curious to see what the water was like in his tank, if it had the bacteria I need for the aquarium. I decided to check the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels in the turtle's water, and my readings for each were through the roof!

So my question is, how can I get the bacteria into my new tank? Should I just place the rock in there? Or buy a pack of biomax and stick it in the turtle tank for a week?
 
The bacteria will establish themselves eventually. Adding the rock might introduce a little bacteria to help speed it along. The best thing to add would be some media from the filter on the turtle tank. If the readings are "through the roof", there probably isn't a large population of bacteria in the turtle tank, but there is probably some
 
I wouldn't recommend trying to use anything from the turtle tank as a way of starting a cycle in a fish tank. Bacteria which are harmless to your turtle could be lethal to your fish. Best to not risk it. It's easier to just do a fishless cycle for the fish tank.
 
petluvr said:
I have used substrate from my turtle tank to seed other tanks and it did just fine. As stated though if your readings are high from the turtle tank then the bacteria probably isn't that established and may do no good anyway.
Click to expand...

I think the readings are just high because I'm behind on my water changes, and there isnt much water to begin with in the turtle tank.

I guess I'm just worried about possible disease as mentioned above.
 
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