Cycling with Active Sponge - Our Journey

[TankinWithUs]

We're back...

We restarted our cycle a few days ago and ordered some seeded filter material from Angel Plus. It came in yesterday, so last night I poured that water all in my (5.5g) tank, all in the filter, cut some of the filter sponge and put it in the filter, and then took the remaining, put it in a filter bag and just dropped it in the tank.

Can you tell we're desperate?

I dosed ammonia (Austin's Clear) to 3PPM and gave a teeny tiny microscopic bits of fish food.

Do I continue cycling as usual? Testing for ammonia & nitrites? Should I test more frequently (daily vs every few days) because of the seeded material?

p.s. we're fishless.

Thanks!

 

[BBradbury]

Tank Cycling

Hello Tank...

A couple of things: Water from an established tank doesn't do anything to help cycle a new tank. The bacteria that must be grown needs a surface to attach to, so water won't work. Using media from an established tank will help cycle the new tank. If you use most of the media from a similar sized tank, the new tank will be instantly cycled. You can put a few, small fish in the tank right away. Just test the tank water daily for a week or so to make sure there are no traces of ammonia and nitrite. If there are traces of either, perform a 25 percent water change. If there are no traces, the tank is cycled and you can add a few more fish and resume testing. Follow this procedure until the tank is fully stocked.

Pretty easy.

B

 

[TankinWithUs]

Wow? Really?? I had no clue it would happen that fast. So, I'll go home and test tonight and see what the levels are. I'll update this afternoon.

Thank you!!!

 

[gimmethatfish]

I've had great success with the seeded sponges from Angels Plus. I have used them 3 times for friends establishing new tanks, and have had a near-instant cycle with them. The longest I think was about 5 days, and that was adding 3 sponges in a 55 gallon tank, dosing ammonia to 4ppm. Good stuff.

 

[TankinWithUs]

oh, man! I'm so excited. I was expecting like a 3 week cycle, still. I can't wait to test today!!!

 

[DeeLee2013]

Yay!!!

Hope the tests go well!


? Diana Lee ?
? the St. Augustine Redhead ?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
36g Rescape in Progress!
10g Orchid Endler's N-Class
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[TankinWithUs]

Me too!! I want the perfect environment for those Endler babies!!

 

[DeeLee2013]

They're getting big! Should be able to sex them in a week or two

How many do you want?


? Diana Lee ?
? the St. Augustine Redhead ?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
36g Rescape in Progress!
10g Orchid Endler's N-Class
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

[TankinWithUs]

Just tested the water. Not quite cycled yet, but a heck of a lot closer than not even close!!

I'm terrible at reading these colors, but I see 2 ammonia, 0.50 nitrite and 5.0 nitrates.

Do I just wait? Considering it hasn't even been 24 hours since I added the seeded media, my guess is I wait.

 

[TankinWithUs]

They're getting big! Should be able to sex them in a week or two

How many do you want?


? Diana Lee ?
? the St. Augustine Redhead ?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
36g Rescape in Progress!
10g Orchid Endler's N-Class
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I was thinking 3 boys!

 

[ThangaMean]

We're back...

We restarted our cycle a few days ago and ordered some seeded filter material from Angel Plus. It came in yesterday, so last night I poured that water all in my (5.5g) tank, all in the filter, cut some of the filter sponge and put it in the filter, and then took the remaining, put it in a filter bag and just dropped it in the tank.

Can you tell we're desperate?

I dosed ammonia (Austin's Clear) to 3PPM and gave a teeny tiny microscopic bits of fish food.

Do I continue cycling as usual? Testing for ammonia & nitrites? Should I test more frequently (daily vs every few days) because of the seeded material?

p.s. we're fishless.

Thanks!

Do you know the % of ammonia in Austin's clear ammonia?

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[TankinWithUs]

No, I don't. I know that it is ammonium chloride and recommended for cycles, but % ammonia, I don't know. Sorry!

 

[TankinWithUs]

Wooohoooo!! It's moving! It's moving!! Can somebody help me decipher the numbers? Should I be adding ammonia?

I'm saying ammonia 1, nitrite 2.0 - 3.0, nitrate 10 - 20.

Would you guys agree?

 

[DeeLee2013]

Seems a fair assessment to me!


? Diana Lee ?
? the St. Augustine Redhead ?

 

[TankinWithUs]

sweet. I'm so excited

Sent from my SM-G900T using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[TankinWithUs]

when you guys do water changes, do you already have decglorinated water on standby, or just do it on the fly? does it matter?

Sent from my SM-G900T using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[venymae]

I put the dechlorinator directly into the tank when doing a large change and then just pour the water in. It works either way

 

[TankinWithUs]

OK. good to know. I don't want to kill my BB. that would suck

Sent from my SM-G900T using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[ThangaMean]

Good going for you. I'm on day 23 and saw nitrite on day 19 and slowly moving. now, day 23 and finally 1 ppm nitrite and .5 ppm ammonia. All the best for your cycling

 

[TankinWithUs]

isn't cycling maddening?! DAHH! It sounds like you're well on your way, though.

​

I did something cheeky and added a tower so I could hide my extra biomedia in it without having a big chunky mess. Our tank makes little sense aesthetically because my kid picked everything out, but it's nice not to be looking at that chunky sponge filter anymore. I tied some water wysteria to it up top. I have no clue if that will work but hell, I'll try anything at least once.