rich6459
Aquarium Advice Freak
People talk about taking filter media or sand or gravel from an established tank. Did I read that right, can you take gravel from an established tank? I thought the good bacteria lived in the filter?
question about cycling
- Thread starter rich6459
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Mr. Limpet
Aquarium Advice Addict
rich6459 said:
It lives on anything it can, the filter (ie media) being in the loop but out of the tank is the most stable IMO.
Yes you can take gravel, some decco, or preferably some filter media from an established tank (keep it wet in tank water, tap water kills bacteria) and "seed" a new tank. Which means you have the start of a bacteria colony. It takes time to build up bacteria in the new tank though. It's best to cycle a new tank without fish. Search fishless cycling, follow the steps and you should have a happy home for your fish.
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BigJim
Aquarium Advice Addict
The beneficial bacteria live on surfaces in your tank. They live in very high concentrations in the filter because of the high oxygen content of the water.
NODAK1979
Aquarium Advice Activist
We did this when we started our tank. Let me tell it worked AWESOME. I will recommend this to anybody.
itsgracia
Aquarium Advice Addict
I also did this to my 10 gallon. Within 2 weeks my tank is cycled (results may vary). It's true that filter media from an established tank is much preferred because it has majority of the bacteria but gravel has some too.
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rich6459
Aquarium Advice Freak
I'm asking only because I'm thinking of changing from gravel to sand. But I don't want to mess the cycle up. What are opinions?
itsgracia
Aquarium Advice Addict
What you can do is put your some of the gravel in a mesh bag and keep them wet in tank water, change the rest of the gravel with sand, put the mesh bag filled with gravel in.
Are you just starting your cycle or almost done? It might not make much a difference if your just starting your cycle.
Are you just starting your cycle or almost done? It might not make much a difference if your just starting your cycle.
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rich6459
Aquarium Advice Freak
I started about 2 weeks ago give or take a little. I just worried about how to change the gravel and how to maintain it. I know it can destroy your filter. And speaking of filters I have a 10 to 30 gallon filter on my 20 gallon. Thing I should upgrade to a bigger filter? I heard bigger filters help the cycling process along.
itsgracia
Aquarium Advice Addict
Since your just starting, there might not be too much of a change bacteria wise if you change your gravel although I will still watch my levels. (I forgot, are you cycling with or without fish?)
If you dont have fish, I will drain most of the water down and take the gravel out, and then wash the sand until the water runs clear, put the sand it, fill it back up with dechlorinated water. Make sure that while doing all this, your filter media are staying wet.
If you do have fish, remove all fish, put the fishes in a bucket with a heater and maybe a small bubbler...then follow the steps above.
When I changed over to sand, I didnt let the sand settle and it did break my impeller/motor on my AC70 (AquaClear) and had to change that part. What I did to prevent this from happening again is I put a prefilter on the intake. I just got some sponge media and cut it to wrap around the intake with a rubber band. This will stop the fine sand particles from going into the impeller/motor. Also make sure that your filter intake is not too close to the sand that it will suck it up. I have mines about halfway down.
With filters, I like to double the recommendation. Lets say, I have a 29 gallon and I use a 70 gal filter. So for a 20 gallon, I would try to find a 40 gallon filter or more. Try to get one where you can control the flow like the ACs so your fishes won't be blown away.
In regards to bigger filter, faster cycle, I don't know. Maybe it will help, later on because you will have a bigger space to put filter media on which means, there is more space for the bacteria to grow on. But on faster cycling I dont really see how a bigger filter can help.
If you dont have fish, I will drain most of the water down and take the gravel out, and then wash the sand until the water runs clear, put the sand it, fill it back up with dechlorinated water. Make sure that while doing all this, your filter media are staying wet.
If you do have fish, remove all fish, put the fishes in a bucket with a heater and maybe a small bubbler...then follow the steps above.
When I changed over to sand, I didnt let the sand settle and it did break my impeller/motor on my AC70 (AquaClear) and had to change that part. What I did to prevent this from happening again is I put a prefilter on the intake. I just got some sponge media and cut it to wrap around the intake with a rubber band. This will stop the fine sand particles from going into the impeller/motor. Also make sure that your filter intake is not too close to the sand that it will suck it up. I have mines about halfway down.
With filters, I like to double the recommendation. Lets say, I have a 29 gallon and I use a 70 gal filter. So for a 20 gallon, I would try to find a 40 gallon filter or more. Try to get one where you can control the flow like the ACs so your fishes won't be blown away.
In regards to bigger filter, faster cycle, I don't know. Maybe it will help, later on because you will have a bigger space to put filter media on which means, there is more space for the bacteria to grow on. But on faster cycling I dont really see how a bigger filter can help.
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rich6459
Aquarium Advice Freak
I have three crabs in there and a snail. I went out and bought a marine life 200 ( don't quote me on the name, I'll check later and post). It cycles 200 gallon per hour. The water current was kinda of fast so I put a turtle landing under it so, its a lot better now. I did jam all my old filter media into my new one hopefully that will help alot.
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rich6459
Aquarium Advice Freak
Correction I got a marineland penguin 200 ( I have a 20 gallon)
