hi guys!!!

[H3F4D]

i know if you use gravel or material off a tank with good bb it will help seed the process... my question is ! would a few bottld of water from that tank do that same trick ? or do u need actualy naterial from the tank itself ?

was at a buddys tonight took a bottle of water from his tank we wernt in the mood to dig out any of the rocks and spook the fishys hehe so i just took a bottle of water for the heck of it ! let me know if itll help or not ! thanks !

 

[H3F4D]

just put the bottle of water in poored it into the filter slowly ! gave them some brine shrimp now just watching them munch lol have a goodnight guys

 

[jlk]

There really isn't such a thing as 'cycled' water. Nitrifying bacteria excrete a sticky substance that allows them to adhere and colonize on surfaces of a tank such as the substrate, filter media, décor, etc. The largest portion is in your filter media where there is an ample amount of aeration/oxygen and a steady supply of food. If your buddy can donate some of his filter media, this will be the most helpful in seeding your new tank with good bacteria.

 

[H3F4D]

yes he has a few filters one that is on his tank now that hasnt been running for a few weeks with an old filter somewhat damp but not soaking... would u say a peice of that cut off and put into a cup of water than brought to my filter would do the trick ? also it looks really really realllllly dirty ? i geuss this would be a good thing lol shoukd i get him to run that filter for a few hours before taking a peice of the filter cloth ?

thank you !
- Myles

 

[jlk]

Does he have filters that are running? Ask him to cut off some media for you or give you some bioballs or rings or noodles (depends on what type of filter media is he is running). Place it in a zip baggie with some water for transport and stick it in your filter when you get home.

 

[H3F4D]

im not 100% on what he has running for filtration ! i just know he has a filter sittinf on his 60g that was replaced by a better one ( nothing malfunctioning on it ) just time for a upgrade !

if we cycle that filter for say 2 a 3 hours will it be safe to say that that will have the BB? it looks very very rich in bacteria ! it is damp now though not soaking wet anymore where its been turned off... he also mentiond to me that i could just have that intire filter ? i could just plug that in and start running it in my tank would that do the trick also ?

Thanks alot

 

[nickstanley995]

Ive heard that bacteria is on gravel, filyers, ornaments but not water. The bacteria is on a surdace not the water. Thats just what ive been told dont know how much truth is behind it lol

 

[H3F4D]

thanks man

 

[jlk]

im not 100% on what he has running for filtration ! i just know he has a filter sittinf on his 60g that was replaced by a better one ( nothing malfunctioning on it ) just time for a upgrade !

if we cycle that filter for say 2 a 3 hours will it be safe to say that that will have the BB? it looks very very rich in bacteria ! it is damp now though not soaking wet anymore where its been turned off... he also mentiond to me that i could just have that intire filter ? i could just plug that in and start running it in my tank would that do the trick also ?

Thanks alot

It takes weeks, not hours, to cycle a filter. If this filter/media is still damp and your friend is offering it to you, go ahead and stick on your tank. Lets see what happens! Don't clean it or anything- just run it. The media is supposed to look brown and dirty so do not worry about this!

 

[H3F4D]

sweet alot of has turned white up around the top where it has dryed ? would you suggest i cut and remove that fabric leaving the damp stuff down below ?
I may just do a fishless cycle with this filter on my new 60 gal to see what happends just incase ! than if it works seed it with goodys from the 60! by the time that one cycles my 20 may be done anyways ! who knows !funfunfun lol
Thanks again

 

[jlk]

If you have a larger tank than the 20, I would do the fish-in cycle on the larger tank. It will be more forgiving and less work for you.

 

[H3F4D]

ok when i get the new tank set up and in place running etc i will post pictures of them succesfully ! spaced out ! lol im sure theyll be loving all the extre space