Conventional cycling, just some questions.

[rainbowprizimz]

OK so my mother in law bought us a used 20 gal from a friend at her work. I'm planning on cleaning it up, and using it as a community tank, with a small school of tetras(6 or so), 2 male guppies, and another small school of some other fish I saw but forgot the name to . In my current 10 gal I have a bio-wheel. I guess I was just wondering how to do a relativly sucessful conventional cycling (using the 2 male guppies). I was thinking of using some of the gravel from my 10 gal, and putting it in the new 20 gal, along with a plastic plant from the 10. Would it be helpful if I pulled the bio-wheel from the 10 gal's filter and used it in the 20 gal for awhile, until the cycle was done? Just wondering. Let me know what you think. Thanks
p.s.
after the 20 gal had established a good bio-system, I was planning on putting the bio-wheel back in the 10 gal.

 

[Grassguy]

You're cycling the tank to build the bacteria up that remove your ammonia and nitrite. The biowheel from your 10 gal does already have the bacteria on it, so it would bring your ammonia levels down. But, when you take it out, you'll also be removing a good deal of your bacteria with it. I don't think I would move the biowheel. Just leave it where it is and start building some up on the new one.
I could be wrong but that's what sounds logical to me. I'm sure some other members are a little more experienced than me, and may overrule this; if so follow their advice.

 

[rainbowprizimz]

ok, cool I think you are right about the bio-wheel. It should stay in the 10 gal where it belongs. But how about using some of the 10 gal gravel and one if it's plastic plants? If I put those 2 things in the new 20 gal, will that help to begin some bacteria colonies?

 

[Captain Hook]

That will help some and I think you could also put some of the 10's water in the 20. Does the biowheel have any sections for additional media, like a basket? If it does, put a couple small aquaclear sponges or something like that in there to catch the bacteria then u can put them in the filter of the 20. That should help a lot!

 

[Grassguy]

Yea, I would us ethe gravel, any partially used media, water, and plants from the 10 gal.

 

[LMOUTHBASS]

disagree

not all fliters even use a bio-wheel! so you can run your tank which is already established and has enough bacteria in it to run effectively with out the bio wheel - in the meantime move to bio-wheel to the new tank because it will speed up the cycling of your new tank which won't have hardly any bacteria in it

 

[rainbowprizimz]

ok great, thanks for letting me know i'm on the right track...now all I need is a suggestion for another species in the communtiy. I have picked already 2 male gups, 4 featherfin rainbows, 4 mickey mouse platy's, and one more, not sure what though as long as it is a peaceful species. oh yeah by the way I tend to like colorful fish, and tetras. Was thinking a small school of 6-8 Cardinal tetras, but I hear too many horrer storites about caring for them.

 

[Sensei_the_dojo]

I think that Harlequin Rasboras are a very pretty smallish schooling fish that would go nicely with your setup.