Fastest way to Cycle 2nd Tank

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HooKooDooKu

Aquarium Advice FINatic
Joined
Feb 2, 2005
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Location
Birmingham, AL
After Christmas, I want to get one of those 5 gallon eclipse corner tanks to build a betta tank.

However, I'm getting tired of daily PWC in my currently stocked tank that is currently still cycling (ammonia is done, hoping nitire will be done within a week).

So with this new tank, I want to get it cycled BEFORE I get the betta. However, I don't want to wait until Valentine's Day before getting a betta.

The current tank has a 2" playsand substrait, some plants, some river rock (pea gravel) for decoration, a fake hollow log and a Fluval 1 filter.

I want the new tank to also have a sand bed and some plants.

What are some suggestions that will help speed up the process of cycling the new tank without hurting the newly cycled tank?



What are your specific suggestions, and what do you think of the following ideas.

1. Toss the blue filter from the eclipse tank into the existing tank to let it begin building up some bacteria to help seed the new tank. Obviously this won't harm the newly cycled tank at all, but I wonder how effective it will be.

2. Get one cup of sand from the old tank to add to the new tank. I figure one cup from a 10 gallon tank with a 2" sand bed won't steal too much away from the old tank.

3. Borrow the Fluval 1 filter from the old tank for several days and run it in the new tank. Ovbiously good for the new tank, but not sure how "bad" for the newly cycled old tank.

4. Rather than borrow the Fluval 1 filter from the old tank, rinse the filter into the new tank. Basically, foul up the water in the new tank with the stuff trapped in the filter of the old tank. Surly there is some bacteria on all that crud, and the eclipse filter should be able to filter it back out.
 
Do you ahve any spare room in the fluval? Moving old, dirty filter media from an established tank is the fastest way to cycle a tank. Either use the blue foam from the eclipse, or a sponge from the fluval. I keep extra sponges in my canister filters specifically for insta-cycling a new tank should I ever need it.
 
The way Neilan suggests is the way that's most often done - or at least the easiest way - simply putting an extra sponge(s) in the filter of your main tank so they can be taken out and moved to a new tank if needed.

Idea #1 will work also. I would leave the Eclipse filter in the main tank for about three weeks. This should allow enough time to colonize enough bacteria for one betta.

Idea #2 is a good idea and will work in conjuction with #1.

Idea #3 would leave the main tank with no bacteria, if I'm interpreting correctly. Yes, it would be great for the new tank but only if you're tearing down the main tank for some reason.

Idea #4 can be modified like this: Don't pour cruddy water into the new tank. Instead, squeeze the main tank sponge into a plastic bag. You'll get cruddy brown water if the main tank media is cycled completely (don't oversqueeze; leave some bacteria in the main sponge!) Put the new Eclipse sponge into the plastic bag of brown water, squeeze the sponge thoroughly to incorporate the bacteria, and put the Eclipse sponge back into the filter. I used this method once and my 5 gallon betta tank was cycled by the next day.
 
I have seeded tanks from existing filter material & it works very well. Ideally, you want to run the new tank's filter in the established tank to seed it. This won't be possible with an Eclipse.

If you have room in the fluval, I'd put the foam from the Eclipse into it for 4-6 weeks. That would seed it nicely & you should have a near instant cycle. <If your Eclipse comes with those silly carbon inserts (like mine), I would suggest getting a block of filter foam & make your own sponge filter for the Eclipse.>

If you don't have room in the Fluval, you can take some of the media form the fluval & put it in the new tank's filter. You can prob take away 1/2 of the filter material without causing trouble in the main tank (but do check your parameters just in case). Depending on what you have in the Fluval, you might have to cut/mesh bag or otherwise McGuyer the filter material to fit the Eclipse. You can also borrow some substrate or decoration from the display in addition.

I would not borrow the entire filter from the old tank .... that would likely lead to a new cycle in the old.

EDIT - Deb beat me to the post ... :) Do like she said!
 
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