How do you cycle a new bigger tank?

Hello! I got a bigger tank recently and I set it all up and I'm not quite sure what I'm suppose to do to cycle it so I can add my fish in their new bigger home. I read online that you can put your old filter media in your new tank filter but they are both completely different filters, so I'm not sure what to do, I conditioned the water and have the heater and everything set up and running I'm just not so sure what to do next and I wanna make it as less stressful for the fish as I can

Hopefully someone can help me with this!
Thank you in advance

 

HI Alien! How big is the difference in size? Will the stocking be the same between tanks at first?

When people mention moving over the filter media they don't mean you have to make it fit or use it as your main filter media. Just jam it into the new filter somewhere and as long as water flows over or through it, it will still do its job and eventually spread to the new filter.

What type of filters do you have?

 

If you plan on abandoning the old tank for now, and can take the old filter out and put it in the new tank, you shouldn't have any problems.

 

HI Alien! How big is the difference in size? Will the stocking be the same between tanks at first?

When people mention moving over the filter media they don't mean you have to make it fit or use it as your main filter media. Just jam it into the new filter somewhere and as long as water flows over or through it, it will still do its job and eventually spread to the new filter.

What type of filters do you have?

The one I'm currently using is a 20 gallon, the new one I got is a 50 gallon.

Yes the stocking will still be the same

Oh okay I wasn't sure if you could just stick it in there even if it didnt fit.
The filter for my 20 gallon tank is a Aqueon. And the filter for my 50 gallon is a Marineland.

 

If you plan on abandoning the old tank for now, and can take the old filter out and put it in the new tank, you shouldn't have any problems.

My fish are still in the old tank, so I'm not sure how to filter the new one with the old filter media, if I still need a filter for my smaller tank

 

Just move all the fish with the whole filter and media and all to the big tank and wait until the new filter has grown bacteria and take out the old one,

 

Are you moving these fish over to the new tank?

 

Just move all the fish with the whole filter and media and all to the big tank and wait until the new filter has grown bacteria and take out the old one,

So run both my new and old filter on the new tank?
I can just put the fish in the new tank with the old and new filter running?

I had the tank running for about 2 days so far

 

Just wring out the filter into the new tank, any bio media you have toss it in the new tank.

 

Just wring out the filter into the new tank, any bio media you have toss it in the new tank.

What do you mean by wring it out in the new tank??
Also what do you mean by bio media?
Sorry for all the questions I'm fairly new to this stuff and I don't know what everything means

 

Are you moving these fish over to the new tank?

Yes I am

 

What do you mean by wring it out in the new tank??
Also what do you mean by bio media?
Sorry for all the questions I'm fairly new to this stuff and I don't know what everything means

Pull the sponge or whatever type of filter you have out of your tank, plunge it in your new tank and shake it as though you are cleaning it out. It will make your water look gross but your tank will basically be cycled. If you have ceramic rings or beads in your old filter out those in the new one. If you are using the sub strate transfer some over.

 

Pull the sponge or whatever type of filter you have out of your tank, plunge it in your new tank and shake it as though you are cleaning it out. It will make your water look gross but your tank will basically be cycled. If you have ceramic rings or beads in your old filter out those in the new one. If you are using the sub strate transfer some over.

Oh okay! So basically clean my filter in the new tank cool. Would I put the fish in right away or do I have to wait a couple days?

 

Oh okay! So basically clean my filter in the new tank cool. Would I put the fish in right away or do I have to wait a couple days?

I'm of the opinion that seeding a new tank with an old tank is the best way to cycle and you can put fish in right away. But I'd still do it in stages to let the bacteria establish itself...that is don't put them all in at once, but put some in, check parameters, then add the rest.

 

I'm of the opinion that seeding a new tank with an old tank is the best way to cycle and you can put fish in right away. But I'd still do it in stages to let the bacteria establish itself...that is don't put them all in at once, but put some in, check parameters, then add the rest.

Is it okay if the tank is still cloudy? When I first set it up it was clear but now it's gotten to its cloudy stage

 

Are you going to permanently use both tanks at the same time, or just until you move the fish? If it's notpermanent, and only until the new filter has it's own colony of BB, there should be enough room to hang both filters on the new 50g. Put the new filter in the new tank. Put the old filter in the new tank. Move the fish from the old tank to the new tank. In 4 to 6 weeks you can safely take the old filter off the new tank. and will be good to go

 

Are you going to permanently use both tanks at the same time, or just until you move the fish? If it's notpermanent, and only until the new filter has it's own colony of BB, there should be enough room to hang both filters on the new 50 gallon. Put the new filter in the new tank. Put the old filter in the new tank. Move the fish from the old tank to the new tank. In 4 to 6 weeks you can safely take the old filter off the new tank. and will be good to go

No I'm gonna be giving my old tank to a family member so I'm just using it till I move the fish.

So put both filters on the new tank? And I can move the fish in there right away?
I only had this tank running for about 2 days so far and it's still cloudy, Is it okay if it's still cloudy?

 

I wouldn't ring it out and go from there. You're giving up a lot of the colony for no reason and likely not getting much from ringing it out. Just use both or move filter sponges from one to the other. No need to complicate it.

What is making it cloudy? Sand?

 

No I'm gonna be giving my old tank to a family member so I'm just using it till I move the fish.

So put both filters on the new tank? And I can move the fish in there right away?
I only had this tank running for about 2 days so far and it's still cloudy, Is it okay if it's still cloudy?

As long as you dechlorinated the water, then transfer over the old filter, get it running. And start moving fish over.

 

I wouldn't ring it out and go from there. You're giving up a lot of the colony for no reason and likely not getting much from ringing it out. Just use both or move filter sponges from one to the other. No need to complicate it.

What is making it cloudy? Sand?

Yeah I don't think I'm gonna ring it out.
And well I conditioned the water and I have this other bottle of bacteria stuff and added some of that to the tank and I think and maybe that's why its cloudy?

Edit: Sorry the bottle is called Fluval Biological Enhanser

 

Yeah I don't think I'm gonna ring it out.
And well I conditioned the water and I have this other bottle of bacteria stuff and added some of that to the tank and I think and maybe that's why its cloudy?

Sounds like that cloudiness should clear up on its own then. Probably a bacteria bloom since the tank is new.

 

Sounds like that cloudiness should clear up on its own then. Probably a bacteria bloom since the tank is new.

Should I wait till that clears up, to put the fish in?

Or can I just put my old filter media in my new filter and add the fish right away?

 

Should I wait till that clears up, to put the fish in?

Or can I just put my new filter and my old filter on my tank, running them at the same time and add the fish right away?

If it is a bacterial bloom, it is because the tank has started the process of cycling. It will be harmless to fish, so don't worry. You can put your old filter on with your new one and run them at the same time, no problem.

 

It’s probably been already said but if you are moving all your fish just move the filter also and that tank is cycled run the second filter also and it will build up some BB

 

No I'm gonna be giving my old tank to a family member so I'm just using it till I move the fish.

So put both filters on the new tank? And I can move the fish in there right away?
I only had this tank running for about 2 days so far and it's still cloudy, Is it okay if it's still cloudy?

Yes, that's all you need to do. I'm not sure about the cloudy. Is it sort of milky? Have you added any bottled bacteria? If there has been any ammonia source and it's a milky cloudiness, it sounds like a bacterial bloom, and that's normal. Or is it floating sediment from unwashed substrate. That's also ok, and will settle in time. Both are ok to start moving fish from the old to the new.

 

If it is a bacterial bloom, it is because the tank has started the process of cycling. It will be harmless to fish, so don't worry. You can put your old filter on with your new one and run them at the same time, no problem.

Thank you so much!
One more question, sorry lol
But would it be better to use the old and new filter? Or would it be better to just put the old filter media thing into the new filter?

 

Thank you so much!
One more question, sorry lol
But would it be better to use the old and new filter? Or would it be better to just put the old filter media thing into the new filter?

Use the old and new filter, there is no reason not t, you will have better filtration.

 

Thank you so much!
One more question, sorry lol
But would it be better to use the old and new filter? Or would it be better to just put the old filter media thing into the new filter?

Use both filters for a minimum of 4 weeks. That will give the new filter time to build a colony of bacteria, then you can remove the old filter.

 

Yes, that's all you need to do. I'm not sure about the cloudy. Is it sort of milky? Have you added any bottled bacteria? If there has been any ammonia source and it's a milky cloudiness, it sounds like a bacterial bloom, and that's normal. Or is it floating sediment from unwashed substrate. That's also ok, and will settle in time. Both are ok to start moving fish from the old to the new.

Yeah I added some bacteria, so I think it's a bacterial bloom
Thank you also! This was very helpful I was so unsure what to do and was worried I was gonna do it wrong

 

Use the old and new filter, there is no reason not t, you will have better filtration.

Thank you! I will do that

 

Just do water testing for a few days to make sure nothing goes south, but you shouldn't have any problems.

 

Just do water testing for a few days to make sure nothing goes south, but you shouldn't have any problems.

I will do that

 

I'm of the opinion that seeding a new tank with an old tank is the best way to cycle and you can put fish in right away. But I'd still do it in stages to let the bacteria establish itself...that is don't put them all in at once, but put some in, check parameters, then add the rest.

I've done it with success. Cycled and aged isn't the same and it will still go through a minI cycle but that's ok. You can put fish in right away or wait a few hours after shaking old media into new tank. With the filter running it should clear up quickly.

 

Just do water testing for a few days to make sure nothing goes south, but you shouldn't have any problems.

I have a question I put my old filter on my tank and when I started running it, it pushed some stuff that was in the filter into the tank, is that okay if it does that?

 

That will be fine it looks ugly just vac it up when you clean

 

That will be fine it looks ugly just vac it up when you clean

There isn't much that went into the tank I was just curious if that was okay
Thank you!!

 

It just means your filter or outlet pipes might need a clean.

 

It just means your filter or outlet pipes might need a clean.

Yeah I cleaned it before I put it in but I wasn't sure how much to clean it so just a little bit came out into the tank

 

If you cleaned it it might just be the stuff that didn’t rinse properly

 

I have a question I put my old filter on my tank and when I started running it, it pushed some stuff that was in the filter into the tank, is that okay if it does that?

That will be fine it looks ugly just vac it up when you clean

What Littlebudda said