I am going to start up a new 20g tank. My friend has a 55 gal cycled with cichlids. I want to stuff my filter media in his aquaclears to get some of his bacteria for my cycling. I was planning to cycle with fish. How long should I have my media in his filter? What are the next steps that could help me cycle the tank faster or that should be done. Thanks.
Cycling with Established Filter Media
- Thread starter m3latino
- Start date
Bio-spira works on the same theory as the established bacteria from an exsisting tank. I would not waste my money on bio-spira if you have used media available to you. For best results it is best to leave the sponges and such that you intend to use for a month but if it is only three weeks that means that you will be three weeks ahead of the game. When using established media to seed another new tank with the longer the media has been in the established tank the better. By doing this you will in most cases drastically reduce the cycling time in the new tank.
Marinemom
Marinemom
if you put your entire filter onto his tank, you might compromise his tank when it is removed. you could always put your filter media in there for two weeks or so, then put it on your tank, then do a mini-fishless cycle with clear ammonia to see if you actually have enough bacterial transfer onto your media. if so, then get your fish. if not, stick it back into his filters for another two weeks (rinse in dechlor'd water first to remove excess ammonia).
take his gravel!!! and just replace yours with his. also if hes willing to let you have/borrow any decoration,plants,rocks.
The running of your filter on his tank will speed your tank's cycle. It will not be like having a tank ready for everything you want. You will develop some bacteria, but his and your filters and tank will only have what is needed for his bio load. You will only be bringing a proportion of that back to your tank.