cycling 55 gal.

Sounds like he is going for mulm. Honestly, a gravel vac isn;t going to net you much bacteria. The nitrifying bacteria are not free floating in the water column, but rather they adhere to objects, gravel, filter media etc. It may help some, but ni actuality it is likely just going to add a bunch of fish waste from your other tank into your new tank.

How are you cycling the 55gal? Does it have fish in it now? Or are you adding pure ammonia to it? The filter from the 10gal will help more than the water.

do u got an old sponge filter? use it and add some lava rock ,,,u can maybe save time doing that also if u can try getting a bio wheel ,,,makes life easier

SCU33ZE said:

do u got an old sponge filter? use it and add some lava rock ,,,u can maybe save time doing that also if u can try getting a bio wheel ,,,makes life easier

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How does a lava rock save time, exactly? I see you posting a lot today, but not making much sense. Mind explaining the theroy behind lava rock = faster cycle to me?

well ok easier if u like that better when u gots more surface area u gots more bac right? so more bac = more effective bio right =more effective cycle thats my point sorry i dun make sence its not the same helping in a forum than really being there, by da way i luv biwheels cus they grow a garden of those nice beneficial bacs

SCU33ZE said:

well ok easier if u like that better when u gots more surface area u gots more bac right? so more bac = more effective bio right =more effective cycle thats my point sorry i dun make sence its not the same helping in a forum than really being there, by da way i luv biwheels cus they grow a garden of those nice beneficial bacs

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More surface area does not necessarily mean more bacteria. You see, the bacteria grow to reach a certain bioload that is present. In the case of cycling, a lava rock does nothing at all to make the cycle faster or easier. So, if the OP is adding ammonia to reach 5 ppm and the bacteria are beginning to grow, they may settle on the lava rock, likely they will, if there is decent oxygen levels around it, etc. The bacteria also settle into filter media, substrate, PVC pipes, clay pots etc. ad naseum. This doesn't mean if you cram your tank full of lava rock you have more bacteria. It simply means you have more lava rock. Again, the bacteria are only going to grow to a point where they can successfully and routinely devour 5ppm ammonia in a day, if that is what you are dosing to for a fishless cycle. If you want more bacteria, you have to dose more ammonia or in the case of a fishy cycle, add more fish.

This is why after a tank is cycled it is always adviseable to add only a fwe fish at a time and then only spaaced out about every two weeks. This gives the bacteria time to catch up with the new waste levels produced by the now more fish. Adding a lava rock while adding a fish isn't going to somehow give you instant bacteria growth because of extra surface area.