Input on cycling

B

Blueiz

THE TypoQUEEN
Sep 5, 2005
5,668
10
62
NC
I want to know what your thoughts are on a tank I am fixing to set up tonight. I just bought a 20 gallon long tank for my molly fry. I currently have 32 fry that are 6 days old. My question is if I take a filter cartridge from my already cycled tank ( tank has 2 cartridges) and place it in my new filter on my new tank, will there be enough bacteria in there to support these 32 fry. I think these 32 fry may equal the size of 1 two inch fish.
Also I bought some java moss and 6 other plants to put in this aquarium, should I wait to place these in the aquarium until it has cycled? Or will they be ok with a little bit of fertilzer ( will probably put some xtra food in the tank .
I think that if I put a filter cartridge which should be teaming with bacteria along with some old tank water which already has nitrates in it, that my plants and fish will be ok. I want to know what youall think about this.
 
Just make sure you dechlorinate the water before you put the old filter media on!!! It should be fine, I cycled a large tank with the 2 filters from smaller tanks, never any spike. I would test the water daily for a few days at least though! Not sure about the plants :confused: Also, not sure what kind of filter you'll be using, but you might want to cover the intake so that the fish don't get sucked in ;) !
 
I have well water, but I will still use a water conditioner. About the plants, I was just waondering if they can survive in a newly set up tank. Its no big deal if they can't, I can put them in one of my other older aquriums for a little while. About covering the filter intake, I will be useing a penguin 150. It has the drop that has lttle slotes in it, but I was thinking of stretching a piece of pantyhose around that. You don't think that will hurt the filter do you? I know that these fry could not get sucked though a piece of panty hose. thanks for your response :)
 
Pantyhose will not hurt your filter, it may prevent some of the larget waste from getting to your filter, but it will only be there untill the fry get larger, so you will be just fine.
 
The set up sounds fine. The filter media will prepare your tank. Instead of pantyhose, pick up a filter sponge and cut a hole into the middle parallel the long dimention, I just stick the skinny arm of a pair of scissors down it, but a pocket knife works too. Then just slide the sponge over the intake. Increases the amount of filter media and decreases the suction per unit area.

It will, of course, prevent larger debris from entering the filter, but since this is a fry tank you'll be vacuuming/water changing every day or every other day anyway, so it's not a big deal.

The plants will definitely be fine, but throw some of the j.moss in your established tank. Java moss is great breeding ground for all sorts of microorganisms that the fry can feed on later, but it will take some time for the little guys to colonize the fern, probably good for your next batch of fry.
 
fish???

hi i just bought a 30 gal. tank do u have any suggestions on fish or plants or anything??
 
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