I got a friend that is buying a 55 gallon tank. He's been watching me with my fish tanks for awhile and wants to get started on his own. I haven't done this myself but was wondering about this method. If I take out one of my old filter sponges and give it to him to put it in his new filter will that help the cycling process? I have a ten gallon tank that needs a new sponge so was gonna give him my old one for bacteria. I guess I would place the seeded sponge behind the new filter sponge in the 55 gallon tank?
Seeding new tank
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rich311k
Aquarium Advice Addict
Absolutely. it will give his tank a nice head start. Make sure it stays wet the whole time and that it gets more ammonia within 24 hours or the bacteria colonies will start dieing off.
He has it running with two fish right now, and it's been about 2 weeks, you think he might have enough ammonia not to kill the bacteria ? I guess he would have to do a test though, he already has Hornwort and Anacharis to help out.
rich311k
Aquarium Advice Addict
That sounds perfect give him the sponge. The fish will provide all the food it needs.
SpeedEuphoria
Aquarium Advice Addict
On this subject since I'm rather new, dont you want to put a new filter pad/sponge in while the old one is still there so you dont have another cycle?
Usually with well established tanks changing the filter media doesn't necessarily mean you will have to re-cycle the tank. If you change ALL the filter media at the same time and do some major gravel vacuuming you may experience a mini-cycle.
Back to the original post, anything that you can give him out of your tank will be beneficial in getting his cycle going. For example, when I just started my 30gallon I squeezed two used filters from my 10gal into it and let the stuff settle, then turned on the filter in the 30 gal. Then I let one of the used filter pads sit on the bottom for a few weeks, and the other I cut up and put in my new filter(hob). I also added a few plants and decor from the 10 gal. I only experienced a mini cycle by using this method with 4 neons in it from the start.
It's been over a month and everything is perfect in the tank, used filters and decor have been removed. HTH
Back to the original post, anything that you can give him out of your tank will be beneficial in getting his cycle going. For example, when I just started my 30gallon I squeezed two used filters from my 10gal into it and let the stuff settle, then turned on the filter in the 30 gal. Then I let one of the used filter pads sit on the bottom for a few weeks, and the other I cut up and put in my new filter(hob). I also added a few plants and decor from the 10 gal. I only experienced a mini cycle by using this method with 4 neons in it from the start.
It's been over a month and everything is perfect in the tank, used filters and decor have been removed. HTH
good to know I will probably give him some of my gravel too and some decorations. I have my fish guy that cleans the tanks here. He said the black carbon holds some bacteria on it but not the pads? I don't know if he knows what he is talking about.
dskidmore
Aquarium Advice Addict
Not true. Anything the bacteria can stick to they will. Every surface is good for that. Now the carbon may have more surface area than the pad, but the pad does have some space for bacteria to grow.
I thought that! I am gonna steal the carbon from one of the tanks here at work and seed it at my friends. hehe Is water from another cycled tank good to throw in?
rich311k
Aquarium Advice Addict
Water contains no nitrogen fixing bacteria they attach to hard surfaces.
good to know, I did threw a rock and some gravel in his tank.
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new2betas
Aquarium Advice Addict
My question is along the same lines as this one so I thought I would post it in here.....I would like to move along the cycling of my new 10g tank that I got for shrimp. I took an old smaller filter out of my 2.5 g tank and put it in there....just because I knew the female betta wouldn't like it in the smaller tank probably and I wanted a source of bacteria for my new tank. That is ALL that is old in this tank. Everything else is new...so, no bacteria. I am not using a hang on back filter with this tank when it gets the shrimp...I am using a sponge filter (on the way from Drs. Foster and Smith). Since my older 10g tank is well established could I possibly put in a new cartridge/sponge in that tank and take the older one out of it and lay it in my newer 10g to get the seeding process going? Does this make any sense? I don't want to have a mini cycle on my older/established 10g, but I would like to kick start my cycling on my newer 10g. I don't have anything to put the older cartridge in since I am not using that type of filter on my newer tank, so that is why I just wanted to lay it in the bottom of the newer tank. Can I do this to kick start the cycling?
new2betas
Aquarium Advice Addict
I just remembert that my lfs sells preowned filters that they have running in their tanks in their store. Would this be a good option instead of taking mine out of the other 10g tank? Also, since I am having that snail problem in the established tank I am not sure I want to take the chance on getting snails in the tank I am cycling now.
I would get a pre established one from the store. It works great to have a seeded filter in. My friend has gotten his cycled a lot faster from using a filter pad. I would stick the used on into your filter so that it can grow bacteria in your filter, and throw in some used gravel in also. If you want to not mix your gravel that you already have in your tank take pantie-hose and put gravel in and tie and let sit on bottom. Are you doing a fishless cycle?
new2betas
Aquarium Advice Addict
I can't stick the used filter into my newer filter because they aren't the same kind of filter....that is why I asked if I could sit it on the bottom of the tank....but I think I have decided to get a used filter from the lfs and hang it on my tank.
yes, fishless cycle...thanks for the idea about used gravel. I will see if the lfs will let me have some of that too!
new2betas
Aquarium Advice Addict
I am also putting in ammonia
Then it sounds like you are all set to go. if you got plants or rocks from your other tank put those in as well.
Oh if you are getting a filter pad from lfs make sure to keep it wet all the way home, a zip lock bag should do it with some of the water. You don't want your bacteria dying on the way home from drying out.
if you got plants or rocks from your other tank put those in as well.Oh if you are getting a filter pad from lfs make sure to keep it wet all the way home, a zip lock bag should do it with some of the water. You don't want your bacteria dying on the way home from drying out.
new2betas
Aquarium Advice Addict
I was a little nervous about taking anything out of my pre-existing tanks because I didn't want it to hurt its cycling process. Plus, I am having a snail problem in my 10g that is established and don't want to risk introducing snails into my new one.Then it sounds like you are all set to go.
Oh if you are getting a filter pad from lfs make sure to keep it wet all the way home, a zip lock bag should do it with some of the water. You don't want your bacteria dying on the way home from drying out.
I have some plants coming to me from some of the wonderful members on here though...I will use those in my new tank.
If you got a snail infestation try this:
The idea is to lure the snails onto a piece of food they like and then pull them out. A slice of cucumber is my personal weapon of choice. You can leave cucumber in your tank without worrying about it contaminating the water. Some people also use lettuce and soften it first with hot water. Weight down the slice of cucumber or piece of lettuce in the bottom of the tank at night. By the morning, you should have collected a colony of hungry (or "licorish") snails. Remove the cucumber or lettuce and discard the snails. It's worth a try.
The idea is to lure the snails onto a piece of food they like and then pull them out. A slice of cucumber is my personal weapon of choice. You can leave cucumber in your tank without worrying about it contaminating the water. Some people also use lettuce and soften it first with hot water. Weight down the slice of cucumber or piece of lettuce in the bottom of the tank at night. By the morning, you should have collected a colony of hungry (or "licorish") snails. Remove the cucumber or lettuce and discard the snails. It's worth a try.
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