10 gal mystery snail / fry tank

[Bubbles0oO]

i want to set up a mystery snail/ fry tank in my 10 g

i have a homade sponge filter currently in use (will change sponge to a used one from my other tank)

i have treated tha water and dosed some nutra fin ( on second of treatment )

i have added a small wad of java moss

my readings are

yesterday

nitrates .1 p.p.m.

today

nitrates .1 p.p.m

PH 7.2

( didnt test ph yesterday )

what else can i do ? i really want to add some snails in two days, would i be able too?

first fishless cycle, not being paitent i guess, should i add some fish? maybe get some marble mollies to put in there to get it cycled them move them to my 55g , would swordtails work?

 

[LyndaB]

My understanding is that Nutra Fin Cycle contains the wrong bacteria to cycle a tank successfully.

Taking readings now is not really going to tell you anything. You need a source of ammonia in order to cycle this tank and fish-in or fishless, cycling takes anywhere from 4-6 weeks.

It's never a good idea to rush the process.

If you have other tanks, why don't you just steal some seeded media from one of them to jumpstart your cycle?

 

[Bubbles0oO]

so what shoudl i do? let it sit there?? or add a fish

 

[LyndaB]

If you let it sit there, nothing's going to happen.

Are your other tanks cycled?

 

[Bubbles0oO]

yes, i cycled my 55 this way, with a few mollies in it. i will be changing out one of the filters anyway illl take the sp0onge and put it in there

edit: im going to the pet store in a few hours what do you reccomend me getting?

 

[LyndaB]

Okay, this is very important. If you change out a filter completely, you will lose the cycle on that tank.

 

[Bubbles0oO]

LOL i know sorry i meant the cartridge ( sorry i cant read or type today )

 

[LyndaB]

You know that you can keep those cartridges until they're completely falling apart, right? Just keep rinsing them off in used tank water and put back in the filter housing.

If I were you, I would take my filter media from the new uncycled tank and put that filter alongside the one on an existing tank. Let it stay there for a minimum of 2 weeks, then put it on your new tank and get your snails. You should be almost cycled and it'll be less stressful on the snails.

Why the rush?

 

[Bubbles0oO]

ok ok im sorry just exited

so i should take out thed sponge and pot it in my existing filter for 2 wks then put it into my filter and get the snails?

would it not work the other way??

im sorry if im being thik skulled im just exited and want it together

 

[LyndaB]

so i should take out thed sponge and pot it in my existing filter for 2 wks then put it into my filter and get the snails?

This is exactly what you should do.

 

[Bubbles0oO]

ok, but i just would like to know, would it not work if i took that sponge and put it in the new tank?

( orry for re asking but i wanna prove a point to my friend sitting next to me )

 

[LyndaB]

If you remove the filter from a cycled tank, you have just removed the beneficial bacteria from that tank. It would then go through the stages of cycling again.

By doing it the way we discussed, you're not interrupting any of your existing cycles.

 

[Bubbles0oO]

i mean i read what your saying but the filter in the 55 has 2 cartridges,......

( again i apologize for being thick headed )

 

[LyndaB]

You're not being thick headed at all.

You just never mentioned before that that filter had two cartridges. Will one of them fit into the new tank's filter housing?

 

[Bubbles0oO]

yeah, same size filter spacing just for a 20g filter sponge thingy ( very technical i know ;D ) so how long would i have to wait to put something into the tank if i did that, and how would i know if it was ready for the snails?

 

[LyndaB]

You'll be very happy to hear that if you do that, you'll be cycled enough for your snails. You can get them right away.

Now, I've got to leave work and commute home, good luck!

 

[Bubbles0oO]

Thank you! now im exited!