New Tank Questions

[ChrisS71]

I went to Petsmart today to get some new fish. I left there with a great deal on a 125 gallon tank and stand that I couldn't pass up. I currently have the two tanks in my profile and will be keeping them set up in addition to the new one.

My questions are: When I set up the new one if I take the sponge and biomax material out of one filter on each of the established tanks will the 125 be pretty much instantly ready for fish?

Will this affect the established tanks or not hurt them since I have redundant filtration?

 

[eduguy]

It will not instant cycle but it will help lots. Don't remove all the media from your established tank..

 

[ChrisS71]

Was planning on using the media out of one of the two filters on each of my established tanks.

This won't cause a mini cycle on the old tanks will it?

It will be about two months before the 125 gets set up. Would I be better off just floating sponges and biomax while I wait?

 

[jlk]

I would just start with a sponge from filters and monitor your tanks to make sure the parameters stay stable. If all is well after a week or so, remove the other media item and monitor again. You may or may not see a mini cycle. If you do, some extra water changes until your bb catch back up.

Adding the media will definitely jump start your new tanks cycle but it likely won't fully cycle it. The extent a tank will instantly cycle is directly proportional to the amount of cycled media being added- for a 125g, this is a lot of cycled media. Good luck and please ask if you have any questions!

 

[ChrisS71]

Thanks. I'm good with monitoring the tanks. I've got two healthy established tanks but still feel like such a beginner thinking about starting up a new tank. Especially one so big.

 

[M1k3y_gumi]

Just rember that old media in a new tank without fish won't have any nitrogenous waste to feed on so if you just leave it there for too link w/ out fish you could lose all the Bb.