Instant Cycle Not Working?

I have an established tank (30g) and was using it to instant cycle new 7.5 gallon tank I bought. I used the sponge from the hang on back filter and rubbed it and squeezed it on to sponge from the internal filter of the 7.5 gallon. I checked my readings:
Ammonia .25 Nitrite 0 Nitrate 0.
What to do now? I don't think it has cycled.

 

Add some Seachem stability or Safestart for a boost. What is your ammonia source to feed the bacteria?

 

Squeezing the gunk off the filter doesn't do much to cycle a tank. I'm not sure why I continue to see that method suggested. You added mostly poop and mulm to the new filter. Very little beneficial bacteria.

Can you cut off a piece of the established sponge and squeeze the actual piece of sponge into to new filter? Borrowing actual filter media is the way to do it. Not squeezing the crud off of an established sponge.

Are there fish in the new tank?

 

Pretty sure that's not how it works. The bacteria lives on the sponge and I don't think they just come off so easily, otherwise we'd be in trouble every time we rinse the filter media. It'd be better to put the actual sponge in the new tank. The bacteria also needs to be fed and it takes time, you probably won't see results within a minute. It's all gotta do it's thing; it's a process and a "cycle".

 

I have 3 minnows (feeder fish) and 2 ghost shrimp as the ammonia source. I have been adding seachem stability also

 

I have 3 minnows (feeder fish) and 2 ghost shrimp as the ammonia source. I have been adding seachem stability also

I don't think a few minnows and a couple ghost shrimp are producing enough ammonia in a 30g.....to feed the beneficial bacteria.

 

I don't think a few minnows and a couple ghost shrimp are producing enough ammonia in a 30g.....to feed the beneficial bacteria.

No, they are in the new 7.5 gallon I bought. The 30 g is the tank I have that is already established.

 

No, they are in the new 7.5 gallon I bought. The 30 g is the tank I have that is already established.

Duh! Sorry. I forgot about that. Lol

 

Squeezing the gunk off the filter doesn't do much to cycle a tank. I'm not sure why I continue to see that method suggested. You added mostly poop and mulm to the new filter. Very little beneficial bacteria.

Can you cut off a piece of the established sponge and squeeze the actual piece of sponge into to new filter? Borrowing actual filter media is the way to do it. Not squeezing the crud off of an established sponge.

Are there fish in the new tank?

I'll cut a piece of the established sponge and put it into the 7.5 gal internal filter tomorrow. I assumed instant cycle meant I would get readings maybe an hour or two later. How long does it usually take to get nitrate readings after using established filter media?

 

I'll cut a piece of the established sponge and put it into the 7.5 gal internal filter tomorrow. I assumed instant cycle meant I would get readings maybe an hour or two later. How long does it usually take to get nitrate readings after using established filter media?

If the cycle is sufficiently developed/complete (in other words, there's enough BB), then I'd say a day (24 hours) to go from having ammonia to no ammonia, no nitrites, and having nitrates.

I think "instant" here means "not 3 weeks or more like when starting from scratch."