I GOT MY TANK I GOT MY TANK! YAAAAAAAAAY!

[talloulou]

I agree with Ashley 100% water changes generally won't affect your biological filter since most of the bacteria is in the filter media and the gravel.

That said though.....Puriti has an amazing amount of fish in her 10 gallon right now so I'm not sure that in her case she does have time for a "fishless" cycle.

Puriti when is the last time you changed the filter media on your 10 gallon? If it wasn't recently then I would go ahead and change it now and try to use some of the old filter media in the new 20 gallon to help jump start your cycle.

 

[Guest]

your 10 gallon filter doesn't have a sponge or any type of foam cartrige with carbon in it or something?

well at least you should cycle your tank with only a few fish to start, because if you just throw 10-20 fish in there it won't cycle properly. You should start with just a few of your zebra danios at least and make sure you test your water whenever you get the chance to go to the fish store so you know where your at in your cycle.

And why do you wash everything when you change your water? That is really not necessary and really not good because it sounds like your gravel is really the only place for your bacteria to grow. Do you know how nitrifying bacteria works? have you ever ead about the nitrogen cycle? You really need a thorough understanding of this.. i know it may seem good to clean clean clean... but if you have a good biological filter then you have healthier water.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/showquestion.php?faq=2&fldAuto=21

 

[Puriti]

I can't "change" the filter media, I just rinse it off. It's this little plastic thing with grates in it that catches all the gunk, no foam, no sponge, no nothing. I stuffed my male betta fish in there, his vase is getting kinda funky(looks like stringy stuff growing on the plant) and I need to change the water. Yes, I know about the nitrogen cycle, I learned it in my marine bio class... Nitrifying bacteria grows, it turns ammonia (from fish crap) into nitrites, then the nitrites into nitrates, and if you have plants it'll take out the nitrates.

 

[Puriti]

Okay, I put my newer filter in the 10 gal, and then I put my old filter in the newer tank (to get things a bit jump started) put some gravel from the 10 in the 20 and put some decorations in

 

[Guest]

sounds like a good start... but you still need to put a fish or two in the new tank because you need an ammonia source to keep the bcteria alive on the gravel you added. 1 or 2 should be good enough to not have an ammonia spike.

 

[Jchillin]

I agree...don't want the established filter to go through a mini-cycle.

 

[krap101]

you can cycle with just nitrite tester, just its a little harder. but personally i think if you only can get one nitrite is the most important. first you test after like a week and see if you have nitrites. and the next week you test and see if you still have them. when you dont have any more nitrites that means your tanks cycled.

(ammnia can buy bought at walmart) i think. cuz i buoght mine from there. its made by some generic brand and its in like the bleech section. its like 2$ for a 2 literish thing. its called clear ammonia. to check if theres some sort of soap, shake it up. it should look kind of when water is shaken up. a few bubbles but not the soapy kind..

and congrats on your tank

 

[Guest]

good point, test for nitrites every day and as long as you don't have a spike your good to go, but if it does spike, then once it goes down you are cycled! 8)

 

[Joey17]

What kind of filter do you have in your 10 gallon?

 

[Puriti]

Nitrites were my worst enemy when I used to do the 100% water changes lol

 

[DeFeKt]

if you really want your 20gal setup, why don't you just transfer everything over to the 20 gal, gravel ornemants, filter the water, Everything. 10gal into 20 gal, obviously, is a 50% water change. which is fine. in a few days when the other 50% blends decently with the existing water, transfer the ornemants and gravel back to your 10 gal, along with 7gallons of water, then just top the rest up with tap water and conditioner. (if you wanted to of course)
being the eager beaver it sounds like you are, i'd say this is your best option without running throught the entire cycling process on your new tank.

 

[Puriti]

I put my ADF's in there too ... but I'll put like... My dwarf gouramis or something in it

It's an aqua clear... I think. I dunno my friend gave it to me for my birthday with the tank, it used to be her tank

 

[Guest]

if you ever have ammonia or nitrites that means you are not cycled. A properly cycled established tank will have ZERO ammonia, and ZERO nitrites. I guess your 10 gallon always had nitrites because the bioload was so high and you don't have anywhere for biological filteration (bacteria to grow)

I know youve already spent lots of money, but you really need to get a filter for the 10 gallon that has replaceable media.. at least a sponge or something, becuase thats where the bacteria is able to get oxygen and grow. yes some grows on the gravel, but since less oxygen gets there its not as good of a place for it.

 

[Puriti]

if you really want your 20gal setup, why don't you just transfer everything over to the 20 gal, gravel ornemants, filter the water, Everything. 10gal into 20 gal, obviously, is a 50% water change. which is fine. in a few days when the other 50% blends decently with the existing water, transfer the ornemants and gravel back to your 10 gal, along with 7gallons of water, then just top the rest up with tap water and conditioner. (if you wanted to of course)
being the eager beaver it sounds like you are, i'd say this is your best option without running throught the entire cycling process on your new tank.

Doesssss....that mean fish too? ^^;

 

[krap101]

when i started to cycle my 29 gallon id use like 3-4 filter cartrages from my other tanks. about every day id put the ones from the filters into the 29 gallon and a cleaner one from the 29 gallon into the filter on my 10. this way it would have a constant supply of bacteria.

(i didnt get fish till about a month after i started cycling though, it was cycled after 2-3 weeks, but i wasnt ready to get fish and stuff. and plus i was setting up the slate

 

[Puriti]

....well if 86 cents will buy a new filter Ashley...I'll buy one lol

 

[Guest]

I put my ADF's in there too ... but I'll put like... My dwarf gouramis or something in it

It's an aqua clear... I think. I dunno my friend gave it to me for my birthday with the tank, it used to be her tank

if its an aquaclear it should have filter media in it.. is there a big empty open space in the back? THats where the filter media is supposed to be.. the little strainer in the front isn't really gonna do much good at filtering. you may not need to buy a new filter, just media for the filter you already have.

 

[Puriti]

It does! but there's this little plastic thingy in it that catches all the gunk!.... I dunno bethany never told me i needed anything for it she just dumped it on me!

 

[Puriti]

So when I get money I'll go buy a little sponge thingy for it or something.... X.x filters confuse me...

 

[Puriti]

Oooooooh....this stuff?

Nope didn't know anything about that XP