Quick-cycling A Qt Tank

After my recent experience with ich I decided to set up a quarantine tank. I have an established 5-gallon with 2 amourous dwarf frogs (I changed their name to match their behavior) and an established 2.5 with my betta Bowie in it. There were a couple Endler's in with the frogs and one in with Bowie.

Yesterday I set up a new 5.5, bringing gravel, filter media, plants and decor from both of the established tanks. I put the 3 endlers in there. Today the parameters are 0/0/5. Eventually I want to put Bowie in the 5.5 (he's never seemed happy in the 2.5) and put the endlers back into the 2.5 to keep it cycled as the qt tank.

How long should I wait before moving the Betta to his new home? If 3 endlers are too many for the 2.5 I can leave some in with the Betta or put some in the goldfish pond outside.

I have some Stability and some TSS (not plus).

Thanks!

 

IMO Endlers need at least 10 gallons, technically you can put 3 in a 5 gallon, but you would also have a Betta in there. For a quick cycle you can put the filter you have from the 2.5 into this new 5.5, it will cycle it within 48 hours.

 

IMO Endlers need at least 10 gallons, technically you can put 3 in a 5 gallon, but you would also have a Betta in there. For a quick cycle you can put the filter you have from the 2.5 into this new 5.5, it will cycle it within 48 hours.

Thanks. Yes, I brought the filter cartridge over and inserted it behind the new one. I can rehome the Endlers.

IMO Endlers need at least 10 gallons, technically you can put 3 in a 5 gallon, but you would also have a Betta in there. For a quick cycle you can put the filter you have from the 2.5 into this new 5.5, it will cycle it within 48 hours.

Thanks, I did bring the filter media over from the 2.5. I can rehome the Endlers. I just need to keep the 2.5 cycled.

 

If you don't really need the 2.5 at this point in time you could just break it down instead of trying to keep it cycled. You can instantly cycle it when needed with extra media from your cycled tank when needed.

That is the beauty of having a cycled tank. With just a little pre-planning you will never have to depend on bottled bacteria to cycle another tank. The seeded media will work better and quicker than any of the bottled bacterias and won't cost anything.

 

Wow, I wasn't aware that would work so easily.
So if I knew I was getting new fish, I would cycle the 2.5 quickly by borrowing media a couple days in advance and then put the new guys in there for a couple weeks? Then transfer them to their final home?
What about if someone got sick. I guess I was thinking that having it already cycled would be better for that kind of situation? Can I really cycle it "instantly"? Thanks so much!

 

Yep, it is that easy but you want to add the fish and the media at pretty close to the same time. You want the media to have a steady supply of ammonia. If you set it up and then wait a few days the bacteria will start dying off.

I keep 2 extra dual sponge filters running in my main tank for situations just like this. A while back I needed a grow out tank for some molly fry. I took one sponge off each of the filters, replaced them with new ones and used the 2 seeded ones for a 10 gallon tank. I never saw any ammonia or nitrites and within a week or so I was seeing nitrates.

 

Yep, it is that easy but you want to add the fish and the media at pretty close to the same time. You want the media to have a steady supply of ammonia. If you set it up and then wait a few days the bacteria will start dying off.

I keep 2 extra dual sponge filters running in my main tank for situations just like this. A while back I needed a grow out tank for some molly fry. I took one sponge off each of the filters, replaced them with new ones and used the 2 seeded ones for a 10 gallon tank. I never saw any ammonia or nitrites and within a week or so I was seeing nitrates.

Got, it. So it really is instant.
Now, the question remains....will I be able to leave a tank empty? I have a sponge running in my 20 in addition to the HOB, so it should be seeded now since it's been going since 7/27, right?
Thanks again!!

 

Got, it. So it really is instant.
Now, the question remains....will I be able to leave a tank empty? I have a sponge running in my 20 in addition to the HOB, so it should be seeded now since it's been going since 7/27, right?
Thanks again!!

You are very welcome.

Yes, you should be able to just leave the quarantine tank empty until you need it. Since you have been running the sponge filter about a month it should be well seeded by now but just keep it running in the 20 until you need to set up your smaller tank.

Your cycle is the bacteria living on the filter media so moving seeded media to a new tank is just moving a cycle and that is why you can get a tank instantly cycled. The media already has the necessary bacteria.