Fishless Cycle

[Stephanie0823]

Hello everyone - I’m getting a 37 gallon tank in a couple of weeks so I added a sponge filter to my cycled 10 gallon yesterday to get some of the beneficial bacteria going on it. My question is when I get the new tank do I just add the sponge filter from the 10 gallon in the tank along with the HOB that comes with the tank? Will that be enough to get the cycle started? Will I need to do anything else such as feeding the tank and how long does it usually take doing this method? I'm pretty certain my 10 gallon HOB filter won’t fit in the bigger filter, plus I need to keep it going for my fish that are currently in the 10 gallon - so I can’t seed the new HOB in that manner. This is my first time doing this - your help is appreciated!

 

[Mick Frost]

The sponge filter will seed, but it won't be enough to add a bunch of fish right away. You're doing it right, just make sure you add your fish slowly. Start with maybe 6 Guppy-sized fish, wait about 2 weeks, add 3, wait again, add 4, wait again, then finish. The biggest thing is to test your water regularly.

 

[Stephanie0823]

I’ll be moving my current fish from my 10 gallon to it - right now there are 3 Glo Tetras- they are the reason for the bigger tank, so I can have a proper school, I didn’t know when I started a month and a half ago a 10 gallon would be too small as I would need to build my school to at least 5-6. I’ll probably add another type of fish also - eventually, now I know research is the key - so I’ll be sure to do it right this time - I hope!

 

[Hunter1]

If the sponge is in your current tank for a month, it will hold sufficient beneficial bacteria (already be cycled) to a portion on the bioload it is supporting in the 10.

So when you move it to your 37, it will initially support the same bioload. That’s why Mick suggested adding fish slowly. Doesn’t matter if they are new fish, or fish from the 10.

If you are removing all the fish from the 10, putting the media from your filter into the new filter , on the upstream side, will increase the amount of bioload you can handle initially. It will also help the new filter cycle.

 

[mattgirl]

I agree with Hunter1 If your 10 gallon tank is cycled and you plan on breaking it down and moving everything and everyone over to the bigger tank you should have an instant cycle. Your fish and cycle (bacteria) will just think they have just had a bigger than normal water change.

Be sure to transfer as much of the water as you can. The water doesn't hold any of the bacteria but it is the water your fish and bacteria are used to. You don't want to shock them with a 100% water change.

Even if you aren't planning on using the same substrate and decorations go ahead and move all of it over to the new tank for now. If you have gravel and don't want to use it in the new tank put it in a media bag and put that bag in the new tank. It can be taken out after everything settles down in the new tank.

Every surface in your 10 gallon tank has bacteria growing on it so moving all of it over will assure that your bacteria colony will stay good and strong. Just be sure nothing stays out of tank water any longer than it takes to move it. The bacteria dies quickly when it is out of the water.

If you do it this way you shouldn't even experience a minI cycle.

 

[Stephanie0823]

Awesome! Thank you guys - that makes sense. I do plan to move all of the current fish over and then have a smaller type fish, like maybe neons and maybe some shrimp in the 10 gallon - I need to do some more research to see what will be best. Or maybe even just a single betta with a snail or shrimp.