How Do I Use Mature Water/media To Quick Cycle A New Tank?

Hi, I currently have a cycled and mature 10 gallon tank. This weekend, I am getting a 55 gallon tank. Any ideas on what I can do to cycle this quicker with the 10 gallon water and filter media?

 

Stick everything in the new filter for the 55g, or use both filters at the same time so you can phase out the smaller one

 

Are you upgrading or getting a second tank?

 

Are you upgrading or getting a second tank?

I'm getting a second, tank. Will still use the 10 gallon as a quarantine though. It has fish in it right now that have been there since July.

 

Water has absolutely nothing to do with your cycle. The "cycle" is refering to the beneficial bacteria that lives in your filter media and removes all ammonia and converts it to nitrates (that's the quick and easy explanation).

The only way to cycle instantly is to use cycled media from a tank with the same or lesser bioload. If you have a tank with 3 Guppies and you remove their media to put into a 55 with 200 Guppies, neither tank will be cycled. See what I mean?

Depending on what you have for media and fish in the 10, you MIGHT be able to take half the media to quick-start the 55. HOWEVER, that DOESNT mean you can immediately stock it to capacity.

If I was in your shoes, Id leave the 10 alone since its a mature tank and start the 55 from scratch. Set up a nice filter system, add a few fish, sit back and wait.

 

As others said, the only real way to speed up the process is with the established filter media, but it is by no means a sure thing especially since a 55 gallon tank is descent size. You can add live bacteria and the media in the new tank and it may be good for some cheap fish in a day or two, but I would say just let the process occur as you would a new tank. If you choose to add the old filter and add bacteria I would still let it cycle for at least a week.

 

I cycled my tank with seeded material and gravel. I wrote about how I did it here:
How I Cycled My Tank In Three Days!