Cycled in three days...

[deli_conker]

Yes it's true...

Two tanks were involved.

The established 55 gal and the new 10 gal.

I put the biowheel from the filter on the 10 into the water in my 55 (it floats). Then I set up the 10 (washed sand and decorations, put everything together etc). This past Sunday I added ammonia. It gave me 2 ppm on the ammonia test this past Monday. I then put the bio wheel back in the filter.

I tested the water last night...

0 ammonia
0 nitrItes
10-20 nitrAtes

Oh yeah! That's what I'm talkin' about. I'm going to do a small water change tonight to bring the nitrAtes down and add some more ammonia to verify that it is cycled.

I knew that using media from an already established tank would speed up the cycle, but I've never done it first hand until now. As soon as I get my Penguin 170 I'll be doing the same to my 30 gal. Gotta love the bio-wheel...

 

[hisc1ay]

Ok, that is *definitely* the way I'm doing it next time...

-j

 

[TankGirl]

I did something similar, cycling a 44-gal with 2 Penguin Mini biowheels that I had been keeping in my 55 for just this kind of thing. The wheels don't go on any filter (the Penguins are on planted tanks so I removed the biowheels) but I keep them in an established tank, hidden in tall plants. I just tossed them into the new 44 (going fishless for 3 weeks before I remembered I had the biowheels) and in 3 days after floating the established biowheels in the 44 it was completely cycled. Now the biowheels are again ready to help cycle a 15gal, and I am going to try what you did, and put them in at the beginning of the fishless. Way to go!

 

[Menagerie]

That's the tried and true method for me! Of course it helps to have MTS

 

[youronlysin]

How long did you leave the bio-wheel in the 55 gallon tank?

 

[TankGirl]

The biowheels had been hanging out in the 55 for probably 3 months, and they are back in there now for the future. This is really a major benefit to having more than one tank, like Menagerie said - you have lots of bacteria at your disposal. It was easier to use the biowheels than to try to dig up gravel or remove a decoration, or crack open the canister filter. If a new tank setup or fishless cycle coincides with the cleaning out of a filter, though, I use the "filthy" floss.

 

[deli_conker]

I had mine in the 55 for maybe a week or so...

It was easier to use the biowheels than to try to dig up gravel or remove a decoration, or crack open the canister filter.

That's what I'm talking about... Tons of bacteria in a very small and easy to move package...