Pond material for cycling start-up?

[tothetune]

I know a few people who have well maintained outdoor ponds (with fish). I was wondering if I could use any material from them to start cycling on a new 29g freshwater tank.

 

[Johnny Tuttle]

Possibly, but I want to issue some warnings: depending on what you bring in from a pond, you could be transmitting diseases, toxins, parasites, predatory insects, or any number of hitchhikers into your aquarium.

I personally brought in a water hyacinth from my pond when I set up my 21 to access the bacteria and sediment on the roots to help establish the bacteria colony, but I checked very carefully for visible evidence of the insects at least.

With nothing alive in the tank during the cycling, I counted on parasites dying without hosts.

 

[tothetune]

Good point, JT, thanks.