Mad1

Hi Everyone,

Finally got a new tank for my guppies (they just keep breeding!) I need to get it cycled before I move the residents in. I think I heard before that you can cut a bit of filter material off from the old tank to get it started. How long does this take and what do I have to do?

Cheers guys in advance!

x

sgould

Yes, transferring some filter media from a cycled tank will speed the process in a new tank. How depends a bit on what kind of filter and media you have?

COBettaCouple

It can take a week or 2. Another option might be to put the filter that's going in the new tank in the old tank and run both on that tank for a week.

curtiswallgood

I have just purchased a used 55 gallon tank from my mother in law and in the process of setting it up. I have had a 10 gallon tank for quite some time and have 5 neons 3 small feeder fish and a 2 inch angel in the tank I have had them for about a year now and the tank is well established. my question is I want to start my new tank quickly and introduce my feeder fish since they are cheap and I have had them a while, some water, gravel and filter from my 10 gallon to get things going to start the cycle out on my new tank. is this a good Idea or not? what would be the idea temp to bring my tank to before adding the gravel and water fish etc. from my small tank? any other thoughts to help speed this up would be helpfull thanks!

sirdarksol

Curtis, I've responded to your questions in your other thread.

Mad1
If your old filter has two different sets of filter media, you can take one piece out, put it in the new filter (if they're not the same kind, you'll have to jury rig it a bit), and the tank will be immediately ready for a couple of fish (not the entire bio-load, though). It is important that you feed the bacteria colony either by introducing a few fish (maybe a third of the fish from the original tank), or by using fishless ammonia sources. Then transfer a fish a day.
After a couple/few days of this, if your old filter will fit on your new tank, you can move the whole filter (not just the media), the fish, and any decorations into the new tank. Leave the old filter running for a week or so, and your fish should do fine.
I've used several variants of these methods to get my new tanks going, and have never had any problem with them.

curtiswallgood

thank you so much for the help