New 12 gallon tank, when should I add fish?

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Dpw

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Feb 12, 2016
Messages
5
Hi I am fairly new to aquatics and hoping for some advice, as what my local store told me is different from what Ive read in previous posts.

I have just bought a 54 litre/ 12 gallon tropical tank as I want some more space for my existing fish and shrimps.

I was told by my local store that I would be ok to add the fish after 24 hours aslong as I add the water and nitrate conditioners. This seemed rather quick compared to when I first set up my first 28 litre tank.

So far I have added new silica sand, live fresh water plants and fresh conditioned water using Fluval conditioner. I now have it almost the water almost to 78 degrees and have added some fresh flake, some existing water from my current tank and a jug full of water that I have just cleaned my current filter sponge with, that had lots of lets say muck in it. Also I have read that adding old ornaments and plants help get the tank ready so have added my bridge and moss ball, still wanting to leave some bits in my current tank.

To speed up time on the cycle is it best to add the current sponge into the tank or have both filters running when I add the fish at a time that you guys recommend.

I would of liked to do a full fishless cycle but unfortunatly I have to get rid of the old tank asap due to space.

Please could you tell me if I am on the right track and give any advice on what I should do next. I dont know if it helps but I have a tectra collection, guppys, brislenose and 2 bamboo shrimps.

Thank-you!
 
If you want to quickly cycle a tank, take filter media from your current tank and move that into the filter on this new tank. The bacteria living in that media will grow and seed the other media too. You'll have to feed the tank with fish food though to make provide ammonia and "food" for the bacteria.
 
Hi and thank you for your advice. So do you mean take out the media from the new filter and put the old one in? Both will not fit in at once, & the older one is considerably smaller.
Will my current tank be ok with the media in the new filter and how long would you recommend having this running before transfering the fish? I do have an air stone in the older tank so oxygen will still be circulating through.
 
I meant to take some of it out of your filter on the established tank or else you will throw that one into a cycle, and just use the media that you took from that tank along with other new media in the new tank filter.
 
Hi thanks for your advise i think i will do that, there is some room for part of the sponge inside the casing of the new filter so will cut it to make it fit and get bacteria growing onto the new one, do you think it will be ok to add the fish tomorrow night if i also use the old filter untill the bacteria builds up in the new filter?
 
No, IMO it will take at least another 2 weeks. Bacteria doesn't grow and spread that fast lol.
 
i agree beneficial bacteria will not establish in 24 hours i would wait a week at minium before adding any kind of fish to your 12 gallon tank.
 
If you are just trying to downsize your current tank completely to your new 12g and you're trying to speed cycle there are a few things I've picked up setting up tanks for clients that might help.

For your situation I would mix in a bit of the substrate from your established tank with sand you added along with a small piece of filter fiber cut from your old one.
Putting the new filters sponge/ biological filtration media in your old filter will build bacteria quicker (running it on your established tank).
Since guppies are on your list to be moved you can use them in your new tank for fish in cycling, just make sure to check parameters often and do small frequent changes using water from your established tank and new water at about 50/50 ratio, when your parameters read steady you can then add the bristlenose. Keep an eye on parameters- you will probably have another minicycle, use water changes to combat this- avoid the temptation of adding chemicals. Wait either a week or until your parameters read steady then start adding tetra 1 school at a time, save your shrimp for last.

Good luck!!
 
Back
Top Bottom