Water from my established tank to help new tank get cycled?

[Christina]

Hi everyone

My boyfriend is getting a fish tank (I’ve managed to infect him with the bug). I was just wondering if it’s a good or bad idea to take water from my established fish tank to put in his fish tank, so that it becomes suitable for fish sooner.

Thanks guys.

 

[Hara]

The good bacteria does not live in the "water" it lives on surfaces such as gravel, filter floss, other filter media. The fastest way would be to put a cup or two of your gravel in his tank.

 

[hc8719]

old filter media would work even better, i dont think used water would hurt, if anything it would help stabilize the water

 

[jcarlilesiu]

Do both... my advice. Utilize some of your water from a partial water change (assuming you are infection free) and then borrow some of your filter media to him. You should still monitor all levels to ensure that the cycle is being established, but that should greatly speed it up.

 

[Zagz]

Agreed filter media and substrate will work the best for cycling his tank. If he wants different colored substrate than you have put the substrate in a clean unused pair of panty hose on his substrate. Don't give him all of your filter media just some of it, or you could end up with a mini cycle.

Congrats on bringing in another LOL.

 

[coldmachineUK]

Do both... my advice. Utilize some of your water from a partial water change (assuming you are infection free) and then borrow some of your filter media to him. You should still monitor all levels to ensure that the cycle is being established, but that should greatly speed it up.

I agree
Also, since he's new to keeping fish and hasn't yet 'committed' to buying any, would you not consider fishless cycling? I am currently doing this using 3 prawns (just market bought ones, left to decay in a new cichlid tank). It actually isn't smelly and the ammonia levels are rising well (actually, after 1 week I have nitrites which I wasn't expecting... :S). It takes 3 weeks or thereabouts, but once complete (i.e. once you have nitrates being produced etc) you can add fish!

Btw, before anyone asks, I'm using 3 prawns b/c I want to make sure my filter can cope with adding a fair amount of fish!

 

[NewFishGuy]

I would have to agree.... Used media is first choice.... seeding with you substrate would be 2nd...

Agreed filter media and substrate will work the best for cycling his tank. If he wants different colored substrate than you have put the substrate in a clean unused pair of panty hose on his substrate.

Zagz .... that is a great trick that I hadn't heard of... have you tried this? Enought water flow through the hose?

 

[BillD]

The easiest way would be to either transfer some of the existing filter media, or running the new filter on the old tank for a while. Moving the water really has no benefit, other than starting the tank with dirty water. A bit of topsoil in the filter could also be used to seed the new filter. It is far more important to seed the filter than the substrate. If you were to take Zagz, idea, it would be better if it was added to the filter, rather than set on the substrate.

 

[coldmachineUK]

One thing to note which I don't think is ever adequately explained when people talk of seeding filter material: if you move filter material across which has the bacteria you need to break down ammonia and nitrIte, then you need something to feed it with. If it has no ammonia to break down (and nitrIte) then it will die off very rapidly. It will also 'die back' to supply levels (so if you move filter material from a tank with an oscar in to a tank and then put a platy in it then you'll eventually only have bacteria to cope with a platy...).