Cycling a New tank

[vaquero]

On and on people post threads about cycling their tanks here. I do have a question though. I just picked up a 10 gallon tank to use for hospital/breeding tank. I did a 25% water change in my 55 and used the water from that to set up the new tank. I figured since I was going to have to cycle the new tank, I might as well give it an extra start. I even soaked the new filter in the old water. The girl at my LFS tried selling me untreated feeder goldfish to cycle the tank, but I said no because what I just described above would work better. Right????? If so, how long would it take to cycle an already cycled new tank (make sense)?? I know I'm confusing myself too. The water is still a little cloudy, but that may be from the gravel or the white rocks that look like lava rock. Think it has something with lowering the ph, not sure, if you know tell me the name of it. I bought it at petsmart years ago but never used it.

 

[jlk]

On and on people post threads about cycling their tanks here.

Yes, because this section is dedicated to freshwater "Getting Started".

In respect to your situation, your new tank is still uncycled. Theres no such thing as 'cycled water' and adding the water from your established tank did nothing more than fill your new tank with water. You need to add an ammonia source to cycle it (ammonia, fish food, fish, etc). If you would like to speed this up, add some filter media from your established tank. If you plan on keeping this qt running all the time, you will need an ammonia source such as bottled ammonia to keep it cycled in between having fish in it.

Your other option is to take the filter from this new tank and run it on your established tank. In a couple of weeks, it will be established and your can transfer it to the qt when its needed for fish. The caveat here is you can not always transfer the filter back to your main tank after qt- if there is unknown disease or demise, the filter will need to be sterilized before recycling it on your main tank to prevent disease from being spread. Hope this helps!

 

[eduguy]

Water from a cycled tank doesn't cycle a tank because there is almost no bacteria floating around.

 

[vaquero]

ok thanks a lot I will do what I need to, to cycle it properly. I guess I could put some flakes in it daily.

 

[eduguy]

But the filter squeezing from your other tank helps.