New tank nitrogen cycle.. Please help!!

[N8Higgo]

Hi there,

I’ve recently started a new aquascape tank, so am currently starting the cycle.
I would like to know if the stuff I’ve used from my old tank would have enough good bacteria to start the cycle process?
I am using a filter from an old tank (which was washed out as it had sat stagnant full of water for a fair while), new aquasoil and sand/gravel, driftwood and plants (only a few) from my old tank. I also used the old gravel from my last tank (which had a quick rinse before adding) to build up some of the background. The driftwood, plants and old gravel went from the old tank into the new one 1-2days later.
I’ve also added more plants and a couple Platys to help it along.
Will this be enough??

Thanks in advance.

 

[SaraB]

It should be fine. Just test the water frequently.

 

[BBradbury]

Hello N...

Starting a new tank is fairly simple. Any material you can use from an established tank will help. Once the new tank has been set up and running for a couple of days, you can add fish. You remove and replace a third of the tank water a couple of times a week for two to three weeks. Feed the fish a little every day or two. After two to three weeks, you up the water change to half, but perform the change weekly for as long as you keep fish in the tank. If you decide to add a few fish, simply increase the amount of the weekly water change. You really don't need to test the tank water, unless you want to do it.

B

 

[libertybelle]

Perhaps you don’t need to test the water so much once established but for now you should be. You said the tank sat stagnant. I assume that also means it didn’t have fish in it?

Did you rinse in chlorinated tap water?

If either of these is the case the bacteria on the filter will be very minimal having mostly or all died off from lack of ammonia (food for the bacteria) or chlorine. So don’t consider this equivalent to adding material from an established / cycled tank. Likely you are nearly starting fresh. You’ll know how fresh you are starting once you add an ammonia source and see what the tests tell you.

 

[N8Higgo]

Reply

Thanks for the feedback everyone.
In reply,
The tank had fish in it up until I moved it. And was quite high in ammonia before hand.
It was the canister filter that sat stagnant. So it was rinsed with tap water.

I have been monitoring quite closely as I have put some fish in the tank.
The ammonia level did spike rather quickly, so I’ve done a couple water changes over the past few days. I will keep up with this and hopefully see some nitrite showing up soon enough.

Thanks again for advice. I Appreciate it.

 

[libertybelle]

I’m still not sure I follow; what filter was moved to the new tank and was it running with fish and not rinsed in tap?

Either way you’re doing a fish in cycle so just keep up those tests and water changes! There is a lot of information on this forums regarding fish in cycling so make sure you’ve read up if you need some pointers.

 

[N8Higgo]

Haha sorry for being so confusing. So long story short..
The canister filter sat stagnant and was rinsed/washed out with tap water.
The gravel and timber came directly from another tank which had fish and a couple plants in it.