Gunner11

Hi Everyone,

Hopefully someone out there can help me decide what to do.....
I recently set up a 10 Gallon aquarium I had kicking around...I think I'm coming down with a serious case of MTS
I used the natural gravel I had stored in a pail from my old 50 Gallon tank..filled the tank halfway and vacuumed the gravel really well because it really needed it..I filled it back up halfway with tap water, conditioned it (Aqua-Plus) and continued to fill it the rest of the way with water from my established 110 Gallon tank. I also took 2 plants, 1 skull and a sponge filter from the 110 Gallon tank (I didn't rinse them off) oh..and a snail. I used a smaller air pump for the 10 Gallon to run the filter (of course)..the pump I use for the big tank would have blown the water all over the room I also have a Whisper 10-20 running in the 10 Gallon. I tested the water this morning...0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and 20 Nitrates..doesn't matter because I haven't decided yet what I'm doing with the tank but it's cycled. Now for my dilemma, should I leave the sponge filter in the 10 Gallon (takes up room) or is the Whisper 10-20 good enough? I have been really watching the big tank since I took the sponge filter out and I don't know if it's my imagination or not but the fish seem more relaxed...some different fish are exploring the whole tank and the dither fish are not dithering as much Should I get another filter for the big tank..I was thinking maybe a bio-wheel or Penguin..or put the sponge filter back in with a power head 802 that I already have instead of the air pump or just leave the Eheim 2217 to do the job? oH...and do you think leaving the sponge filter out of the big tank will change anything as far as water chemistry goes?

Sorry for the long book!...I do appreciate anyone's opinions, advice..suggestions etc.

TFA101

I think you should wait a while until some bacteria has colonized in the 10-20 filter to save some room in the ten gallon. In the mean time, leave your sponge filter in there with the other 10-20 filter running simulataneously and wait about a week. Take out your sponge filter, and let the 10 gallon run for about 48 hours. Then test the water to see if its still cycled.

re: your 110 gallon, you have an external filter running in it right? if so, i wouldn't worry about your sponge filter in the big tank causing a swing in water parameters

Jess

Are you feeding this tank you've just started?

Gunner11

Thanks so much TFA101! Good Advice that I will definitely follow..
Tina when you say feeding the tank do you mean ammonia?

TFA101

you could use pure ammonia, but she probably means using a cheap flake food to "feed" the tank so ammonia is produced to keep the cycle going. You can do this every twelve hours to keep the ammonia levels continuous

Gunner11

I put flake food in twice in the two days prior....but why would I have 0 ammonia 0 nitrites and 20 nitrates? Having the nitrates does that not mean the tank has cycled? Using the sponge filter, substrate and plants etc. would that have not given the tank enough bacteria to cycle...I have heard of instant cycling. Is this not the case?

TFA101

yes

but you need to keep adding ammonia so the tank stays cycled since there is no fish in there yet

Gunner11

Okay..understanding..takes a little while sometimes