cycling a new tank with established tank media

J

jb-ny

Si vis pacem, para bellum
Jan 5, 2009
190
0
0
Buffalo NY
Several weeks ago I put a aquaclear sponge over the intake for my filter.
When I set up my new tank I was going to transfer the sponge over to my new tank with the thought good bacteria would be in the sponge.

Is there a way to tell if it worked? How long after I place the sponge should I wait to do a water test?

thanks for any info you can give me.
JB-NY
 
Do you have fish in the new tank? If the anwer is yes than you should not hesitate to test the water..if it doesn't work and ammonia starts to accumulate you want to do a partial water change asap.
 
You may still experience a mini-cycle depending on what fish you add and how much bacteria was actually transferred. But if your tests read zero for both ammonia and nitrite your tank is cycled, at least for the stock you have added.

I would wait and test in the morning just to give it time for detectable ammonia levels to show up (if any) without getting high enough to fatally hurt your fish.
 
You may as well add some gravel from the old tank, and if possible, put some old filter media into the new filter.Throw in whatever you can from the old tank without messing up its cycle.
 
Thanks for the info.
All that is left is the waiting. I am picking up the tank today, a 30 gallon I found on craigslist. This is the 3rd time that I will be trying to buy a tank off of craigslist.
If it doesn't work out, I am going right to my LFS and getting a complete set-up.

thanks,

JB-NY
 
I will never use craigslist again! For the second time this week, I answered an ad selling a 30 gallon tank and for the second time I go to buy the tank only to find out that it is a 29 gallon tank. My day only went down hill after that!
At least I made my tank stand, cost less than $6 to make and 50 pounds of pool filter sand for $10.
 
People often refer to 29 gallon tanks as 30 gallons. Quite a disappointment if you are expecting a 30gallon long.
 
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