20 Gallon Tank First Fish-less Cycle, need advice

[Jakkie]

My boyfriend and I are about to set up our 20 gallon long and we want to do a proper fishless cycle this time. We plan on putting the sponge filter from our 10 gallon into it to kick start the cycle. I was thinking we put the sponge filter, new filter, heater, driftwood/other decor, and plants in while it cycles. We have seachem stability that we will add every day and a apI master test kit to check the parameters. What else do we have to do? Ive heard not to put fish food in to create ammonia so what can we do instead? I also heard that bringing the temp up to 80 while it cycles helps so we might do that as well. And obviously won't be adding fish until there's only nitrates, and when we do add fish it will be just a few at a time. Also if we put plants in, can I add Flourish Excel for the plants while it cycles or wait?

 

[MissMouse]

If you can find pure ammonia you can add that. I found mind at an Ace hardware store. You just have to make sure there's nothing else added to it. Keeping the temp up should speed things along.

You can add flourish that shouldn't really affect anything on my experience. And the plants will appreciate it

I honestly wouldnt bother with stability or water changes since you don't have any fish life in it you don't have to worry about ammonia/nitrite/nitrate being toxic. Just do a water change and add once the tank is cycled and you're ready to add fish.

 

[trinity28]

Use pure ammonia instead of fish food. You can get this at a variety of stores, just make sure it's pure and doesn't make bubbles when you shake it. Only add a little every one to two days. You can use your test kit to dose the ammonia to 4ppm. I use flourish while my tanks cycle and I've never had an issue, but I'll let someone else answer for sure

 

[Jakkie]

If you can find pure ammonia you can add that. I found mind at an Ace hardware store. You just have to make sure there's nothing else added to it. Keeping the temp up should speed things along.

You can add flourish that shouldn't really affect anything on my experience. And the plants will appreciate it

I honestly wouldnt bother with stability or water changes since you don't have any fish life in it you don't have to worry about ammonia/nitrite/nitrate being toxic. Just do a water change and add once the tank is cycled and you're ready to add fish.

I heard stability helps speed up the cycle as well, but if that wasn't accurate I won't waste it lol. Thank you!

 

[CrazedHoosier]

I just bought some of this for my fishless cycle. I’m hoping it’ll make everything a lot easier and more exact than doing a cycle with fish food. Amazon.com : Fritz PRO - Ammonium Chloride - 500gm : Pet Supplies

 

[mattgirl]

Is the 10 gallon tank cycled? Are you just upgrading or are you going to run both tanks?

 

[MissMouse]

Jackie, I haven't used it but did a quick search on it and it seems to be geared towards fish-in cycles. Since you have a seeded sponge from your 10 gal it just seems like a waste of money to me since you will already have the bacteria present but I could be totally wrong, and it wouldn't hurt anything to use it I'm just a cheapskate It would be a handy product to hand though

 

[Jakkie]

Is the 10 gallon tank cycled? Are you just upgrading or are you going to run both tanks?

Upgrading and will run both tanks. The 10 has been running for a year

 

[mattgirl]

Upgrading and will run both tanks. The 10 has been running for a year

If the sponge you are moving to the 20 gallon tank has been running in the 10 gallon for at least a month there will be enough bacteria on it to instantly cycle the 20 gallon tank. The amount of bacteria on the sponge will be determined by the bio-load in the tank.

For example, if the 10 gallon has 5 small fish in it there will be enough bacteria to handle their bio-load. If you move the seeded sponge to the 20 gallon tank and put 5 small fish in there the tank will have enough bacteria to handle their bio-load. If you add 10 small fish to the 20 gallon there will not be enough bacteria on the sponge to handle the increased bio-load. In that case the seeded sponge will just jump start the cycle instead of a full instant cycle.

The beauty of having a cycled tank one can cycle another tank instantly or almost instantly instead of having to go through the long drawn out cycling process ever again.

If you fear adding fish right away pure liquid ammonia can be used to make sure the bacteria you are moving over to the 20 gallon doesn't die from lack of food. You want to either add fish or pure ammonia the same time you transfer the sponge over to the new tank.

 

[CrazedHoosier]

If the sponge you are moving to the 20 gallon tank has been running in the 10 gallon for at least a month there will be enough bacteria on it to instantly cycle the 20 gallon tank. The amount of bacteria on the sponge will be determined by the bio-load in the tank.

For example, if the 10 gallon has 5 small fish in it there will be enough bacteria to handle their bio-load. If you move the seeded sponge to the 20 gallon tank and put 5 small fish in there the tank will have enough bacteria to handle their bio-load. If you add 10 small fish to the 20 gallon there will not be enough bacteria on the sponge to handle the increased bio-load. In that case the seeded sponge will just jump start the cycle instead of a full instant cycle.

The beauty of having a cycled tank one can cycle another tank instantly or almost instantly instead of having to go through the long drawn out cycling process ever again.

Ope, welp, I’ll cancel my ammonia order then! I’m switching my 29 gallon over to a 40 gallon, and I guess I’ll just use my entire current filter in the 29. I thought beneficial bacteria manifested itself on other things in the aquarium like plants and substrate, though?

 

[mattgirl]

Ope, welp, I’ll cancel my ammonia order then! I’m switching my 29 gallon over to a 40 gallon, and I guess I’ll just use my entire current filter in the 29. I thought beneficial bacteria manifested itself on other things in the aquarium like plants and substrate, though?

Bacteria lives both on the filter media and on every surface in the tank. If you are just upgrading go ahead and move everything including the fish over to the bigger tank. You are basically moving the cycle from one tank to another.

 

[Jakkie]

If the sponge you are moving to the 20 gallon tank has been running in the 10 gallon for at least a month there will be enough bacteria on it to instantly cycle the 20 gallon tank. The amount of bacteria on the sponge will be determined by the bio-load in the tank.

For example, if the 10 gallon has 5 small fish in it there will be enough bacteria to handle their bio-load. If you move the seeded sponge to the 20 gallon tank and put 5 small fish in there the tank will have enough bacteria to handle their bio-load. If you add 10 small fish to the 20 gallon there will not be enough bacteria on the sponge to handle the increased bio-load. In that case the seeded sponge will just jump start the cycle instead of a full instant cycle.

The beauty of having a cycled tank one can cycle another tank instantly or almost instantly instead of having to go through the long drawn out cycling process ever again.

If you fear adding fish right away pure liquid ammonia can be used to make sure the bacteria you are moving over to the 20 gallon doesn't die from lack of food. You want to either add fish or pure ammonia the same time you transfer the sponge over to the new tank.

Thank you so much. Maybe instead then I'll accept my lfs guy's offer on borrowing his "cycle fish" to make sure my bacteria can handle them in the tank and if its good I'll get the fish I actually want.

 

[CrazedHoosier]

Bacteria lives both on the filter media and on every surface in the tank. If you are just upgrading go ahead and move everything including the fish over to the bigger tank. You are basically moving the cycle from one tank to another.

You’re saving lives, time, and money with this info! Thanks so much for sharing it!