Do I have to cycle new tank or can I just add used water?

I was considering starting a 5 gallon planted betta tank. I already have an established 30 gallon tank with healthy fish that has been running for a few years. I was wondering if instead of starting from scratch and having to cycle the new tank, can I just add some used water and plants from the 30 gallon tank? (I will also have apI aquarium start up for more beneficial bacteria)

 

There is hardly any beneficial bacteria in the water itself. So that will not do anything to cycle the new tank.

But you could steal some filter media from the established tank and shove it into the filter for the new tank. The filter media is where the majority of your beneficial bacteria resides.

 

I was considering starting a 5 gallon planted betta tank. I already have an established 30 gallon tank with healthy fish that has been running for a few years. I was wondering if instead of starting from scratch and having to cycle the new tank, can I just add some used water and plants from the 30 gallon tank? (I will also have apI aquarium start up for more beneficial bacteria)

I believe you can do that to help jumpstart the cycling but it won’t help you to just skip cycling all together...I’m not too experienced so maybe someone else can give you a better answer

 

How about transferring some of your media from the 30 and add it to the 5?

 

How about transferring some of your media from the 30 and add it to the 5?

Thanks for the response, I have a small sponge sheet thing in my filter that I may be able to transfer over to the new tank if it can fit in the smaller filter. Will give it a try.

 

Thanks for the response, I have a small sponge sheet thing in my filter that I may be able to transfer over to the new tank if it can fit in the smaller filter. Will give it a try.

There is no better way!

I keep spare sponge filters running on my established takes for that very reason

 

I have an established 2.5g and set up a 5 gallon I swapped the used sponge filter from the small tank and a new one and put the old filter in the larger tank I also snag some decorations, some moss balls as well as scooping some gravel then sprinkling some pellets in the fish-less tank within 3 days the from Ammonia .25 Nitrite .25 Nitrate 0 in day 1 becomes Ammonia 0 Nitrite 0 Nitrate 10 ppm. I tested the water after a week I put my two betta in the divided 5 gallon they are still fine except for the nitrate but when doing WC it usually goes down. I don't know if my strategy will work that fast in a larger tank.

 

use your old filter media as it is the best way to fishless cycle the tank


make sure the bacteria have something to feed on

 

Cycle

 

If you remove the sponge from your other tank you'll be taking away its cycle. Best thing to do is cut the sponge in half and share between the two tanks. Also, don't add too many fish at first. Let the cycle build up over time.

 

If you remove the sponge from your other tank you'll be taking away its cycle. Best thing to do is cut the sponge in half and share between the two tanks. Also, don't add to many fish at first. Let the cycle build up over time.

this one is a better suggestion

 

If you remove the sponge from your other tank you'll be taking away its cycle. Best thing to do is cut the sponge in half and share between the two tanks. Also, don't add too many fish at first. Let the cycle build up over time.

It’s actually a HOB penguin filter with a cartridge and it’s own bio wheel for beneficial bacteria. I just added 3 extra small sponges in case I ever wanted to start another tank. With its own established bio wheel I think it will be ok if I take out 1-2 sponges, thanks.

 

It’s actually a HOB penguin filter with a cartridge and it’s own bio wheel for beneficial bacteria. I just added 3 extra small sponges in case I ever wanted to start another tank. With its own established bio wheel I think it will be ok if I take out 1-2 sponges, thanks.

better one

 

It’s actually a HOB penguin filter with a cartridge and it’s own bio wheel for beneficial bacteria. I just added 3 extra small sponges in case I ever wanted to start another tank. With its own established bio wheel I think it will be ok if I take out 1-2 sponges, thanks.

Had you mentioned you had extra sponges in it that would have helped us understand the situation better. Taking out a sponge or two should be fine in that situation. But you're STILL removing a big part of the colony so the running tank may see an ammonia or nitrite spike. Still a good idea to keep an eye on it.

 

Had you mentioned you had extra sponges in it that would have helped us understand the situation better. Taking out a sponge or two should be fine in that situation. But you're STILL removing a big part of the colony so the running tank may see an ammonia or nitrite spike. Still a good idea to keep an eye on it.

removing a coloney is still ok as handelling ammonia and nitrite spikes could be done with water changes