tank cycling

[jackm]

hi
i have a comunity tank with a sponge filter and a small 26l tank with undergravel filter. i need to cycle my small breeding tank , should i take a few danios from the main tank and leave them in the breeding tank or take a few danios and put them in for a few days then put them back and repeat this.
thank you
jackm

 

[Tiffi]

If you already have a running tank, you could take some of the filter material of that tank and put it in the filter of the other tank. That will shorten your cycle a lot.

You cannot take all the filter material out of your community tank though, cuz otherwise there will be a lot of bacteria gone once and your community tank might have to cycle again. Take some fishfood, raw, unseasoned shrimp and place them in the tank. The shrimp will rot away and the bacteria in the new tank will have something to eat. That way you wouldn't have to endanger the danois.

 

[Tiffi]

You could wring out the sponge filter over your new tank. That way you'll get some beneficial bacteria in the tank.