Cycling question

[vitacrux]

My fluval 405 is set to arrive on the seventh, would there be any harm in me starting to add the substrate and the water tonight and tomorrow? I will have an air stone so the water will still be agitated but I didn't know if I could get a small jump on the cycling process.

Edit: I know most of the BB is in the filter but some forms on rocks, substrate and tank decorations right?

 

[BeavisMom62]

Do you have an ammo source? If not, I'm not sure how long BB survives without "food".

 

[HUKIT]

In order to start the nitrogen cycle a source is needed like ammonia for the bactiera to grow.

 

[vitacrux]

Yes the pure ammo with no additives. Would I be okay starting without my actual filter though?

 

[jetajockey]

I would go ahead and put it together. Bacteria needs biofilm to anchor onto and it takes time to build up. It's not going to hurt anything to put the tank together before you get the filter setup.


I have several tanks that are run on nothing but sponge filters, and a few that have nothing but air bubblers in them. The bubbler ones are just temporary holding tanks (extremely lightly stocked) but they actually maintain good water quality without a filter at all. They are bare bottom and have to be vacuumed out at each water change, but otherwise they work.