Instant Cycling A Quarantine Tank?

So I am changing two of my tanks around, I emptying my 10 gallon and starting a female betta sorority in my 20 gallon long. Can I get some lava rock and put it a bag that allows water through it so bacteria can form in it and I can take that bag and instant cycle my soon to be quarantine tank when I need too? I’ve never quarantined fish in my 2 years but as I expand my 29 gallon community tank and add more fish I feel as I should just Incase.

 

The majority of bio material is in the filter. You could add extra bio material to the filter that can be moved to a new filter. _ A chemical free sponge, bio rings or balls, the sponge from a used filter cartridge, an entire filter cartridge cut to fit into any gap in the smaller filter... This may jump start a cycle, it might not instant cycle. What you really want to do is add the ten gallon filter to the other tank, and just let it run until you need it.

 

If you mean prepare a new media bag to put in one of your already existing filters, then yes that will work just fine.

 

The majority of bio material is in the filter. You could add extra bio material to the filter that can be moved to a new filter. _ A chemical free sponge, bio rings or balls, the sponge from a used filter cartridge, an entire filter cartridge cut to fit into any gap in the smaller filter... This may jump start a cycle, it might not instant cycle. What you really want to do is add the ten gallon filter to the other tank, and just let it run until you need it.

Eh I guess that’s better way to do it.

 

The majority of bio material is in the filter... What you really want to do is add the ten gallon filter to the other tank, and just let it run until you need it.

Another QT beginner here... I have a Topfin kit filter with an activated carbon slide-in cartridge and a blue "bio" media (just a sheet of plastic with holes). My QT filter is the same brand, only smaller.

By "add the filter to the other tank" do you mean:
- The carbon cartridge, or the bio media, or both? And do you put it down in the tank, or up in the filter space? Will long-term soaking of a carbon filter reduce its effectiveness when the time comes to use it?

Thanks!

 

You probably don't have enough time but you can buy those filter sponges and simply leave them in the tank and they will collect bacteria and when you need to cycle a new tank you can simply move them over or put them into the new filter.

 

instant cycle my soon to be quarantine tank when I need too

I use a different method for my QT / hospital tank.
I found it very tedious to maintain a cycled QT or cycled filter just for my QT tank, especially that sometimes I would go on for months without actually using it. So what I do if I suddenly need to hospitalize or quarantine a fish.

1. I fill the QT with water from my main tank and add a heater and air stone.
2. Put the fish that needs to be quarantined into the QT. If it is a sick fish from the main tank, then I just pop him in. If it is new fish, then I assimilate them with the water temp for an hour and then let them into the QT.
3. Every day I remove 25% of the water from the QT and replace it with water from the main tank, and continue this process until the fish is ready to move to the main tank.

This method has several advantages to it, including:

1. Not having to worry about having the QT cycle - which in the even of using certain medicines is a waste of time anyway as some medicines kill the BB in the filter.
2. When the fish is ready to be moved to the main tank, it is already completely assimilated to the water in the main tank (because I use the main tank water for my water changes) and there there is no shock invoked by the change of tanks

Simple and easy with no hassle

 

I use a different method for my QT / hospital tank.
I found it very tedious to maintain a cycled QT or cycled filter just for my QT tank, especially that sometimes I would go on for months without actually using it. So what I do if I suddenly need to hospitalize or quarantine a fish.

1. I fill the QT with water from my main tank and add a heater and air stone.
2. Put the fish that needs to be quarantined into the QT. If it is a sick fish from the main tank, then I just pop him in. If it is new fish, then I assimilate them with the water temp for an hour and then let them into the QT.
3. Every day I remove 25% of the water from the QT and replace it with water from the main tank, and continue this process until the fish is ready to move to the main tank.

This method has several advantages to it, including:

1. Not having to worry about having the QT cycle - which in the even of using certain medicines is a waste of time anyway as some medicines kill the BB in the filter.
2. When the fish is ready to be moved to the main tank, it is already completely assimilated to the water in the main tank (because I use the main tank water for my water changes) and there there is no shock invoked by the change of tanks

Simple and easy with no hassle

Unless you have well water/pre treated that is a easy way to kill the bacteria in a aquarium.

 

When I said "move the filter to the new tank" I ment the entire filter as is use it in the new tank with the new filter for at least 6 weeks.
You can move just the filter cartridges, or just the filter media and stuff it into any free space in the new filter. This can be enough. but their will be more healthy bacteria in the filter, so why not just use both filters for a while.

Carbon in filter cartiges dose not reallly do much, it can remove smells assoiciated with an uncycled tank. It is mostly needed for roming medication from your tank after treatment. But the carbon is only really active for 2 weeks after you put it in the filter. Its good to have some around, but mostly pointless for everyday use.

 

Unless you have well water/pre treated that is a easy way to kill the bacteria in a aquarium.

Sorry Jimmie - lost you on this one. What is pre-treated well water?

 

Sorry Jimmie - lost you on this one. What is pre-treated well water?

Pre treated water or well water.