Using My Old Divider For New Tank ?

Hey everyone,

I'm new to the forum, and previously I've no idea about cycling tanks. Right now I somewhat know how to cycle the tank but do need guidance, I want to do the fishless cycle but it's at night right now can I can't get my hands on the bacteria to add to the tank and ammonia.

But somehow I managed to setup two tanks 10 gallon the picture you seeing right now in my bed room which is a betta sorority tank with 4 bettas and another 20 gallon at my living room.

All is well and none of the fish died, it has been 3 months since from the day I started into this hobby.

So right now I've bought a new tank which is a 55 gallon with a external canister filter and planning to sell my old 10 gallon tank. I've add my old decoration, a piece of drift wood and plants with small amount of sponge filter and filter media into the tank. This is going to house my flowerhorn which is in a 20 gallon tank right now, so I would like to know if this divider in the picture would help speedup my tank cycling process in any way ? (sadly I couldn't put my current 10 gallon filter into my new tank as the top has some cover which hinder the way, also in the picture I'm using a filter that I've used about 1month and half months which is sitting in my kitchen before changing into my current 10 gallon hang on filter.)

I've read online that algae can be good sign in which new tank is cycling well and good, what if I add this divider with algae ridden on it and place it into a new tank would it help in any way ?

I've attach both my divider picture and my new tank with the old stuff I use to add in.

 

I don't think the divider will do much good, there might be some bacteria on it but not much. The best and fastest way to get the cycle going is to add used filter media. You said you have a 10gal that is cycled. I would go ahead and take out some of the media (like 1/3 or less) and add it to the filter for the 55gal. You could also rinse the media from the 10gal in the 55gal water, which will coat the entire tank in a layer of grime (good, beneficial bacteria riddled grime) and all the stuff (including some of the bacteria) floating in the water will eventually get trapped in the 55gal's filter media.

Do this and it should effectively kick start and shorten the cycling process for your flower horn's tank. I assume those cherry barbs are there to aid in the cycling process? Or are they future snacks for the flower horn?

Side note: I love your bettas <3

 

I don't think the divider will do much good, there might be some bacteria on it but not much. The best and fastest way to get the cycle going is to add used filter media. You said you have a 10gal that is cycled. I would go ahead and take out some of the media (like 1/3 or less) and add it to the filter for the 55gal. You could also rinse the media from the 10gal in the 55gal water, which will coat the entire tank in a layer of grime (good, beneficial bacteria riddled grime) and all the stuff (including some of the bacteria) floating in the water will eventually get trapped in the 55gal's filter media.

Do this and it should effectively kick start and shorten the cycling process for your flower horn's tank. I assume those cherry barbs are there to aid in the cycling process? Or are they future snacks for the flower horn?

Side note: I love your bettas <3

Do you know does it speed up considerably or just by a little by doing so ? Also I'm considering to use my cycled gravel and add them into a net bag and place it hanging into my new tank, do you think it's a good idea, as I've read it does contain lots of beneficial bacteria.

I took half of the filter media from the 10 gallon and half of it from the 20 gallon tank and took their sponge filter and replaced it with a new one. They're all inside the filter you see hanging on the side of the tank. I'm using a external canister which has 3 layers of 2 different kind of filter media which are new.

Yes, those cherry barbs are there to aid the cycling process. They could be future snacks tho, actually my flower horn ate one when I tried adding them into my flowerhorn tank just to see if it'll be friendly, apprently mine's very aggresive

Here's my picture of my female betta with their bonsaI tree and the tank has shrimps as well! Pretty successful to be honest, didn't expect to hit off a sorority with shrimps on first try.

 

I think it speeds the cycle quite a bit. It may take a few weeks to be completely cycled, but it's better than the 2ish months it takes w/o "seeding" the tank with used media. Just keep an eye on the water parameters for a while, if you don't have an API master test kit then now would be the time to get one. You can monitor the levels pretty easily and you will know when the tank is ready for your flower horn.

If by adding the cycled substrate means messing with the gravel in your betta's tanks, then I say don't bother. There's probably more bacteria in the used media than the gravel and I would bet the media you added will do the trick just fine.

All in all, I say give it around 3-5 weeks with the way things are, keeping the barbs in there as well. If the levels stay relatively stable (zero nitrite and ammonia + some nitrates) throughout the cycling period, then go ahead and move your flower horn into the tank.

Also, it's not surprise that your flowerhorn ate the barb, they are not very good with tank mates Most people just keep a single flower horn in their own tank because they are pretty aggressive and love to eat smaller fish.

 

I think it speeds the cycle quite a bit. It may take a few weeks to be completely cycled, but it's better than the 2ish months it takes w/o "seeding" the tank with used media. Just keep an eye on the water parameters for a while, if you don't have an API master test kit then now would be the time to get one. You can monitor the levels pretty easily and you will know when the tank is ready for your flower horn.

If by adding the cycled substrate means messing with the gravel in your betta's tanks, then I say don't bother. There's probably more bacteria in the used media than the gravel and I would bet the media you added will do the trick just fine.

All in all, I say give it around 3-5 weeks with the way things are, keeping the barbs in there as well. If the levels stay relatively stable (zero nitrite and ammonia + some nitrates) throughout the cycling period, then go ahead and move your flower horn into the tank.

Also, it's not surprise that your flowerhorn ate the barb, they are not very good with tank mates Most people just keep a single flower horn in their own tank because they are pretty aggressive and love to eat smaller fish.

I do have a PH+Thermometer which could get me a API master kit here which is 70$ :S

I should've bought the API master kit tbh. Thanks for your advice, I'll get the apI master kit to check on the cycling process!

I'm thinking of adding more fishes in however I'm afraid it'll mess with it too much.
A empty tank in my living room is quite boring tbh.

Also as for water change, is 15-20% weekly fine for the cycling process ?

 

You can probably add more fish, so long as you won't be too disheartened if they end up dying. You will also need a tank to put them in after you move the flower horn into the 55gal.

As for water changes, you can do as you suggested. I'd be doing water changes when the nitrites and ammonia are getting pretty high and are effecting the barbs. But until you get the test kit you will have to play it by ear, changing the water when the barbs start acting off.

 

You can probably add more fish, so long as you won't be too disheartened if they end up dying. You will also need a tank to put them in after you move the flower horn into the 55gal.

As for water changes, you can do as you suggested. I'd be doing water changes when the nitrites and ammonia are getting pretty high and are effecting the barbs. But until you get the test kit you will have to play it by ear, changing the water when the barbs start acting off.

I just bought my test kit and tested the water for my 10 gallon and it's showing 0 ammonia, 0.25 nitrite and 0.5 nitrate. This was after my 50% water change, should I do anymore 15-20% water change for my 10 gallon ?

Tested my 1 month 20 gallon tank as well, I shows ammonia 1, nitrate 10 and nitrite 0. Could you tell if the tank is actually cycled ? I notice these two are high so I'm currently doing a 50% water change for this tank as well.

 

A cycled tank will have zero ammonia and nitrite as it has been broken down to nitrates. If there is some nitrates with zero of the other two then the tank is cycled.

Sounds to me the 20gal is not cycled, or the bioload of the fish is too much for the bacteria to keep up with.

As for the 10gal, there should be zero nitrite so I'd be keeping an eye on it while doing water changes as needed. You want to keep the nitrites and ammonia as low as possible in both tanks. Nitrates you want to keep around the 10-20 range.

 

A cycled tank will have zero ammonia and nitrite as it has been broken down to nitrates. If there is some nitrates with zero of the other two then the tank is cycled.

Sounds to me the 20gal is not cycled, or the bioload of the fish is too much for the bacteria to keep up with.

As for the 10gal, there should be zero nitrite so I'd be keeping an eye on it while doing water changes as needed. You want to keep the nitrites and ammonia as low as possible in both tanks. Nitrates you want to keep around the 10-20 range.

I did a water change for the 20 gallon and it shows 0.25 - 0.5 ammonia, 0 nitrite and 10 nitrates. I'm thinking it's probably because of the bioload instead cause its about a week since I did a water change.

As for my 10 gallon tank it has 5 nitrates not 0.5 was a typo. I'm pretty sure it was 0.25 nitrite and 0 ammonia, finding it quite weird as I know ammonia should indicate something instead of nitrite showing up.

 

You did just remove a hefty portion of media from their filters, so they might be going through a minI cycle. Just keep up on the water changes and things should start leveling out after a week or so (hopefully).

 

You did just remove a hefty portion of media from their filters, so they might be going through a minI cycle. Just keep up on the water changes and things should start leveling out after a week or so (hopefully).

I think removing 1/3 media filter from my 20 gallon did a number on the tank, it really foggy but I also did do a gravel clean as well doesn't seem to subside but getting foggier. Not sure is the tank crashing, but flowerhorn doesn't seem affected at all.