Setting up second tank--getting it equiped and cycled

[sarcare]

I have decided to set up a second tank (10 g) since I decided I wanted to keep one of the dwarf gouramis I had in my 20 gallon tank due to bad advice from a lfs (which told me that tiger barbs and gouramis would go great together and that gouramis needed to be in groups of three at least!)

I bought a ten gallon tank so I could move my fish there temporarily while adding more gravel and moving my tank. I don't have a filter or heater for it, and I bought the 20 g as a kit, so I don't know what I need to buy for the ten gallon.

Also, do I need to follow the same process cycling the second tank, or is there any way I can use the benificial bacteria in the first tank to jump start the second tank? I want to get the gourami out of the 20 gallon as soon as possible, but I want to make sure the second tank cycles.

Any help would be appreciated!

 

[fish_freak]

You need a filter and a heater for your 10 gallon and its always better to have a hood on your tank so the water doesnt evaporate as fast. As far as speeding up the cycle you can take the old filter media out of the 20 gallon filter and put it in the 10 gallon filter. Just set it in there behind the new media if you can. This will allow the bactera to go right to work. You may have a mini cycle still just keep an eye on your water parameters.

 

[mr_bentley78]

Some fish stores will sell "pre-set up" bacteria stars. Basically, these are homes for the good bacteria that float around in the tank. Some stores (like mine) will sell the ones right out of our tanks (already packing the bacteria) for about a buck each. As it usually takes a week or 2 for the bacteria to set up in a fresh bacteria star. They're not very large, about the size of a golfball, and usually black or blue. They are very pourous, and can house quite a good amount of the bacteria. I currently have 2 of them in my 55 gallon tank. And we use them in the store religiously.

 

[sarcare]

This hobby is so addictive!

I went out to the store this morning to get the stuff to set up the ten gallon--but the store had a sale on kits and with all the parts I'd have to buy to make the ten gallon work it was actually cheeper to just buy the twenty gallon tank! So now I am the proud owner of two 20 gallon tanks.

I put in about seven gallons of water from my old tank, swapped out filters, moved three decorations, a plant, and put some rocks from the old tank in the new one.

I bought two new rocks, boiled them, put one in the old tank and one in the new one.

I did water tests on both tanks after I finished filling them with water, and neither of them showed any nitrites, nitrates, or ammonia. I'm not sure if the ammonia test is accurate because the nozzle is warped--I think the solution messed with it.

I don't know how long to wait to put the gourami in the new tank--what should I be looking for in the tests? I know 0 for nitrites, ammonia, and nitrates is good, but how can I tell if the new tank has cycled?

 

[Ms.Bubbles]

I hope what you mean by "swapped out the filter" is that you put SOME of the old filter media into your new filter. You need good bacteria in both of your filters.

When cycling the new tank you need to have either:
1. fish in a tank, or
2. more preferable-- a daily source of fish food/ammonia to keep the tank cycled.

Without this constant source of ammonia in the tank, the good bacteria will die, and your cycle will have to start all over again.

So, (doing it the safe FISHLESS way)--after adding the old filter media, and a source of ammonia every day -- you watch for ammonia levels in the new tank to climb (but not more than 2 ppm on the test card), then nitrite levels will climb, then ammonia will zero out, and then nitrite will zero out. When both ammonia and nitrite stay at zero 24 hours after adding your daily 2ppm dose of ammonia/fish food, your tank will be cycled. You need to see the ammonia and nitrite spike, then fall off and stay at zero.

P.S. An accurate test kit is vital when cycling, because you'll be depending on the results to alert you to ammonia and nitrite amounts. If you're in doubt, best to get yourself a brand new kit--I recommend Aquarium Pharmaceuticals (liquid) Master Test Kit. No test strips though, as they're not very accurate.

 

[sarcare]

Thanks for the pointers!

I did just take part of the filter out of the one and put it in the other filter--so one of the filters is still in the original tank.

I have the Aquarium Pharmesuticals liquid test kit, and I'll keep testing the water. I'm still a pretty green newbie, and I really don't want to hurt my fish. I do worry about the gourami with the barbs, so if the barbs start to really pester him I'll move him, but if not I'll just wait for it to cycle.