i have put the filter from my other tank on a 75 gallon long how long will it take and what can i do the speed up the process
cycling, with filter from other tank
- Thread starter palehorse78
- Start date
Until your Nitrates and Ammonia read zero for 3 days. Then add fish very gradually. I'm assuming that you are adding ammonia to the tank to cycle it. Clear ammonia with NO additives in it.
Len
Len
no iam useing just the old filter the sponge is full of bacteria i thought that was the quckest way to cycle it
Adding clear ammonia will challenge the filter and test its ability to carry the load. If the ammonia does not clear in 24 hours, the filter is not ready for the load. A mature filter sponge is an excellent source of the needed bacteria, but that does not mean it has enough.
If you already have fish in the tank, obviously just monitor the ammonia, do not add more.
If you already have fish in the tank, obviously just monitor the ammonia, do not add more.
the filter is thick very thick with gunk i i have 4 goldfish in the 75 one have died but the other look good
I'd siphon all the loose detritus I could collect from your matured tank. I'd let it settle. Pour off most of the water. Then I'd dump it right into your beautiful clean new tank. (Turned off the filter.) Let it settle. I'd shake it off the plants. Then turn the filter on again.
Horrors! Your immaculate new tank!.
Horrors! Your immaculate new tank!.
When I did something like this a few weeks back for a new (to me) 29 gallon I did the following:
1. I took some gravel from 3 other existing tanks and mixed it with new sand for the substrate. Probably not the best for maintaining bacteria, but I wanted a mostly sand substrate in this tank because of the species I was considering stocking it with at the time.
2. I filled up the new tank 50% with water from the other tanks and 50% new tap water.
3. I used a filter bag and media from an existing goldfish tank.
4. I moved 2 ornaments over from existing tanks as well as adding a couple of new ones. Plants from existing tanks were also moved over.
5. I put 2 mollies and a 7" pleco in the tank after 24hrs.
The tank took about 2 weeks to cycle. Ammonia levels went down quickly and nitrites took a while longer. I had cloudy conditions for about 2 days at the start but the water has been clear since and testing at 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite for about 2 weeks. However, I had a nitrite spike (~.25-.50/ppm) and slightly cloudy water this week (4 weeks out) after a 3 new fish were added. Daily 10-25% water changes seem to have brought it back down and last night's reading showed 0/ppm again...no fish losses.
So, my experience has been that although the tank may appear cycled quicker by this method, it may not be 100% stable and you'll need to monitor it closely, especially when adding new fish. I guess the other lesson is to be more patient and wait a full 6-8 weeks before stocking beyond the cycling fish but we know how hard that is!
1. I took some gravel from 3 other existing tanks and mixed it with new sand for the substrate. Probably not the best for maintaining bacteria, but I wanted a mostly sand substrate in this tank because of the species I was considering stocking it with at the time.
2. I filled up the new tank 50% with water from the other tanks and 50% new tap water.
3. I used a filter bag and media from an existing goldfish tank.
4. I moved 2 ornaments over from existing tanks as well as adding a couple of new ones. Plants from existing tanks were also moved over.
5. I put 2 mollies and a 7" pleco in the tank after 24hrs.
The tank took about 2 weeks to cycle. Ammonia levels went down quickly and nitrites took a while longer. I had cloudy conditions for about 2 days at the start but the water has been clear since and testing at 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite for about 2 weeks. However, I had a nitrite spike (~.25-.50/ppm) and slightly cloudy water this week (4 weeks out) after a 3 new fish were added. Daily 10-25% water changes seem to have brought it back down and last night's reading showed 0/ppm again...no fish losses.
So, my experience has been that although the tank may appear cycled quicker by this method, it may not be 100% stable and you'll need to monitor it closely, especially when adding new fish. I guess the other lesson is to be more patient and wait a full 6-8 weeks before stocking beyond the cycling fish but we know how hard that is!
