Breaking in a tank

[curbyzcul]

Right sorry if this is blonde but when breaking in a tank and you get new tank syndrome wit really high ammonia? Well, isn't the growth of the denitrifying bacteria almost encouraged by the presence of ammonia in the water, and that's why they begin to grow? If so, instead of introducing fish into the water to supply the ammonia, couldn't you just well, wee into the tank? and as such wouldn't that help the tank 2 cycle? I was just thinking cos i am upgrading from a 70 litre tank to a 400 litre one. Thing is, I don't really want them running alongside each other for too long (space issues) and also I don't really want to jeapordise any fish that are put in initially (I think it's cruel). I know that you can get that stuff to help it cycle, but why not use what we throw away (that is, if it is suitable!). Doues anyone know if this would work or not?

 

[AussieGal]

Couldn't you take some bacteria from the 70 litre tank? Like moving the gravel / filter etc into the new tank. Maybe someone can suggest if this would work.

I have no idea about the actual question you're asking sorry.

 

[curbyzcul]

Yeah I thought of that, but think about it- a 70l tank is like less than 1/5 of the volume of the new 1, so surely there won't be enough bacteria even if I introduced everything straight away. And also wouldn't the bacteria die off as they havent got any ammonia to denitrify?

 

[deli_conker]

It takes a lot longer to create the bacteria from scratch than just letting it reproduce from another existing source. Use the media, decorations, substrate etc from the old tank to help jump start the new tank.

The bacteria will die without ammonia, but it doesn't happen immediately. Just add the fish when you add the stuff from the old tank and you should be fine. At worst you may have a mini cycle while the bacteria re-colonize your tank.

Just be careful as to how you handle the old stuff. If you move the gravel around too much it will kill lots of bacteria etc. Also, you'll want to keep it wet. If the new tank is somewhere else in your house then it should be pretty easy to take care of. If not, then you'll want to get some tubs and fill them with water from the old tank to store the stuff in while you break down the old one and set up the new one. You could also throw in some fish food to keep ammonia levels up a bit (as it decomposes).

 

[flipz]

just like deli_conker said. no offense but peeing into your fish tank to get it to cycle is rediculous. first off your pee is a lot more neautral than you would think. in fact if you are ever stranded somewhere without water i was taught that you can drink your own pee for up to 3 days before it actually starts becoming toxic. before that it's just mostly water.

anyways. if you really wanted to do something like that you can do a fishless cycle just by adding ammonia that you can buy at the store.

BUT just like everyone else suggested, if you just move your current filter over, your substrate, and any fake plants, without letting them dry out, you should at the most have a mini cycle. just like deli said, the bacteria will already be established, and can multiply much faster.

-brent

 

[smallfry]

Take some of the gravel (try to get some fish poop too if you can) from the old tank, wrap it in nylon or mesh material...set it in the actual FILTER of the new tank...that will speed up the process rather than just setting the gravel in the tank itself.

 

[deli_conker]

no offense but peeing into your fish tank to get it to cycle is rediculous

OMG I didn't even see that the first time through. What a polaroid moment that would be...

 

[Aquafriend]

A friend used the water from a water change (if you're emptying the smaller tank, use all the water), plus gravel, and she cycled in 4 days. I put 6g of cycled water from my 20g, plus put some gravel from my 20g into the new filter (in a nylon stocking) in my new 10 g, and it cycled immediately. (I've been testing the water for the last week, it's definately cycled) Also, the foam for my new filter has been in my cycled tank's filter for a week to really seed it well. Everything helps, and the more you can use (from a healthy tank), the better and faster you cycle.

 

[savga]

There is a "fishless" way to cycle (even though you don't need to since you have an old tank). However it involves using pure household ammonia in small doses rather than pee. I haven't done it myself but I have seen plenty of posts about it on this site.