Starting to cycle a 29 gallon tank

[Mikey214]

Within the next few days I will start cycling my new 29 gallon tank , so far I have purchased a 29 gallon tank :doh: , a stand , 30 pounds of gravel , a fifty gallon hang in back aqua clear filter and a thirty gallon water heater ! I have a system for air bubbles in my old tank i will switch over when I start the new tank! Anything else you guys recommend that I purchase before I start ? thanks in advance !

[Scouser]

Seed material!

Get as much as possible!

[Mikey214]

Originally Posted by Scouser

Seed material!

Get as much as possible!

More information as I'm new to all of this ! Thanks

[Mumma.of.two]

Hi and welcome. Is your other tank up and running? Seed material is anything from an established tank that can help seed the new one with beneficial bacteria (BB).

[Mumma.of.two]

Used filter media is the best kind.

[Mikey214]

Originally Posted by Mumma.of.two

Hi and welcome. Is your other tank up and running? Seed material is anything from an established tank that can help seed the new one with beneficial bacteria (BB).

My other tank is up an running ! What part of the filter media should I take out of the up and running tank ?

[Mumma.of.two]

Originally Posted by Mikey214

My other tank is up an running ! What part of the filter media should I take out of the up and running tank ?

Are you upgrading (tearing down old and putting everything in new) or having both going? I you are doing the latter you have a few choices.
Take some gravel and use it to seed the new filter during fishless cycle. Either in filter or next to intake.
Take part of the old filter media out and put in new filter to seed during fishless cycle.
Run new filter in old tank next to other filter to seed for a month. Transfer over to new tank and stock slowly.

[Mikey214]

I'm upgrading ! Everything new ! I'm going to need to have the ten gallon running until I am complete with the fish less cycle in the new tank ! So whats the best think i should I use as the "seed"? Thanks

[Mumma.of.two]

Originally Posted by Mikey214

I'm upgrading ! Everything new ! I'm going to need to have the ten gallon running until I am complete with the fish less cycle in the new tank ! So whats the best think i should I use as the "seed"? Thanks

If your upgrading just move your fish and old filter over and run it in tandem with the new filter. Put you old substrate in a new nylon stocking or media bag and hang it in your tank for a few weeks. No need to fishless cycle if your moving your filter. Just keep an eye on parameters for a few weeks.

[Mikey214]

Originally Posted by Mumma.of.two

If your upgrading just move your fish and old filter over and run it in tandem with the new filter. Put you old substrate in a new nylon stocking or media bag and hang it in your tank for a few weeks. No need to fishless cycle if your moving your filter. Just keep an eye on parameters for a few weeks.

I wasn't planning on moving the old filter :thinking:

[Mumma.of.two]

Originally Posted by Mikey214

I wasn't planning on moving the old filter :thinking:

You don't have to leave it there permanently just about a month. Or another option is to take ALL the media from the old filter and put it in the new. If the new filter is bigger put it infront of the new media so the water flows through the old first.

If you put the new filter and old filter on the new tank them when the new tank is cycled and stable you can move the old one back to the old tank and stock it too

[librarygirl]

If you don't move the filter itself you can take out the media (all of it) and put it into the new filter and if there's room left keep some of the new media in there. And then just test water every day for a week or two and make sure there aren't any spikes in ammonia, etc.

[Mikey214]

Originally Posted by Mumma.of.two

You don't have to leave it there permanently just about a month. Or another option is to take ALL the media from the old filter and put it in the new. If the new filter is bigger put it infront of the new media so the water flows through the old first.

If you put the new filter and old filter on the new tank them when the new tank is cycled and stable you can move the old one back to the old tank and stock it too

I have fish in the old tank I'm going to have to keep the ten gallon filtering :thinking:

[Mumma.of.two]

Originally Posted by Mikey214

I have fish in the old tank I'm going to have to keep the ten gallon filtering :thinking:

Oh ok I thought you where moving all the fish over to the new tank. If they are staying there definitely leave the filter for them You can run the new filter on the old tank with the old filter to seed or take a piece of media from the old for the new or put some gravel from the old into the new filter. Then you can stock very lightly or do fishless.

Probably repeating myself

[Mikey214]

Originally Posted by Mumma.of.two

Oh ok I thought you where moving all the fish over to the new tank. If they are staying there definitely leave the filter for them You can run the new filter on the old tank with the old filter to seed or take a piece of media from the old for the new or put some gravel from the old into the new filter. Then you can stock very lightly or do fishless.

Probably repeating myself

Any information is a help ! Thanks

[Mumma.of.two]

Originally Posted by Mikey214

Any information is a help ! Thanks

Your welcome. There are so many different ways to do it but in the end all the same result.

[Mikey214]

Ok so I set up my 29 gallon tank ! I have the gravel , decorations , and water filled up , I treated the tap water for chemicals and have the filter and heater up and running ! Question is now what ?!?! I need to purchase a water test and start testing the water !

[Mikey214]

Picture I took :thumbsup:

[Mumma.of.two]

Ok just to clarify you are doing a fish in or a fishless cycle?
You need to get a liquid test kit. API master test kit for freshwater is the one to get IMO. If you have seeded media you need to 'feed' the BB or they will die. Pure ammonia for fishless or fish for fish in.

[Mumma.of.two]

Originally Posted by Mikey214

Picture I took :thumbsup:

Nice tank too! I like the stand as well