starting new tank, establishing bacteria

zoowks

zoowks

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Oct 13, 2007
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Orlando
starting a new tank 10 gal tank, my other tank is a 10 gal established for about 7 months by the time this new tank will be set up, would it be okay to avoid having to cycle my new tank to take the media filter out of the established one, put a new one in the established tank, and put the old filter into the new tank, and add the three dwarf puffers to the new tank once i've added the old filter

i was also going to move some of the plants and/or gravel for a little while to help establish a colony on the new substrate, is this even needed if i add the established filter?
 
zoowks said:
starting a new tank 10 gal tank, my other tank is a 10 gal established for about 7 months by the time this new tank will be set up, would it be okay to avoid having to cycle my new tank to take the media filter out of the established one, put a new one in the established tank, and put the old filter into the new tank, and add the three dwarf puffers to the new tank once i've added the old filter

i was also going to move some of the plants and/or gravel for a little while to help establish a colony on the new substrate, is this even needed if i add the established filter?
Click to expand...

you can probably do that with your next water change.. take the 30-40% out of the established tank and add it to the new tank.. switch the filter media, let it run for a few hours to a day.. and i think it should be good
 
i thought water doesn't carry much? theres a recent thread about that, unless you meant using my python sticking it into the gravel to try and get some bacteria with the water into the new tank? and adding the new filter shouldn't effect the old tank, right?
 
really no need to tranfer water. just using some of your filter media would work just fine...search the forums, I am sure that there are plenty of threads on using established media to cycle. also, adding some sibstrate to a nylon and hanging it in the tank tranfers some bacteria...:)
 
substrate to a nylon? explains plz lol, and how long do i need to wait for the colony to establish itself completely if i just put the old media filter into the new tank before i add the puffers? and also isn't there something in the tank that needs to be there to add ammonia/nitrites to enable the colony to feed and expand?
 
When I was cycling my 55 I took some gravel from my 30 and placed it in a nylon. Then I took that and hung it in my 55. Sped up my cycle a little bit, but I would have used some media if I could (running a RUGF on 30).

You wouldnt NEED to but it wouldnt hurt to seed faster.

When adding the established media, make sure the bacteria has a source of ammonia almost immediately, otherwise the colonies will die off. So add pure ammonia or I think you can even stock right away. :)
 
k thx!, so in summary, just adding some gravel from my old tank in a nylon and/or some media filter or the media filter to the new tank, and adding say 5 ppm of ammonia to the tank should establish the tank within a day or so and be ready for fish?
 
ok, here is what i would do, set the new filter on the old tank, 4-5 days prior to setting up the new tank, use a tub, and set out the water for the new tank, for two days, use one leg of a pair of nylons, and fill it with substrate from the old tank, ..when setting up teh new tank, use your old filter, the Water that has sat, and hang the stocking in, and stock immediately, you should get a mini cycle, but just test the water, and keep up water changes and should be good to go, I have done this several times, and have never had anything, but a minute spike in params
 
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