Another Newb With A Fish In An Uncycled Tank

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okay ... last year I got myself 4 young angelfish, within a few months I had a pairing that I wanted to try breeding from. In my shed was my old Juwel Rekord 800 fish tank still complete with it's internal fitler. I decided I'd have it brought into my flat and I'd set it up for my angels to see if I could get them to breed but the problem was that I'd need to cycle the filter for them.
Once the tank was inside I removed the filter sponges and got them into a bucket. One of my external filters from my main community tank was due a clean anyway so I opened it and tipped the water, and the brown gunk into the bucket with the Rekords sponges. Inside this filter was a small spare sponge that fits my emergency filter for my hospital tank so I pinched that out too. I also run a fine filter wool at the top of the external to polish the water of fine particles - I threw that in the bucket too. I then added an air stone to the bucket and let it sit for about 10 days. Every day I went and got my hand into the bucket and squeezed the sponges under the water. I also threw in some fish food and some dying plant leaves to create ammonia in the bucket. I wasn't certain this was going to work but I decided it was worth a try. After the ten days (or so, I can't remember exactly) I decided to get brave and move my angels into the new tank. I tested my water daily for two weeks but saw no signs of ammonia or nitrite. What I was looking at was an instantly cycled tank. It did surprise me but it did prove it can be done by cleverly seeding a filter.
 
Now, I'm not going to say it will definitely work for someone else - that would be irresponsible but what I am saying is - if I can do it, why can't it work for someone else. It's worth a shot. Just keep an eye on the stats and do water changes if necessary
 
fish_food said:
Did some research on bacteria in bottles, and it doesn't seem feasible to ship some over here due to import regulations.  My aunt has some established tanks (although I don't think she officially cycled them) so I'm going to borrow a filter sponge and hope for the best.  Should I quarantine/establish the sponge in a separate tank, or can I just put it straight in the filter?
 
Firstly, if your aunt's tank has been running for quite some time then should be an established tank and filter.
 
This is a good method to help seed a tank and filter with the bacterias you need. If you can take no more than a third of your aunt sponge media, ceramic noodle, and replce that with the same amount so she does not lose any filter media fo rher filter bacteria to regrow again.
 
Then see if you can get a handful or two of soem gravel or sand, these will be covered in bacteria too, gently do this so you do not make the water or tank dirty or messy.
 
Put all these into your tank and filter and should pretty much be a very fast cycle, if lucky within a week, certainly won't take 7 - 9 weeks as long as filter media and substrate has bacteria on them.
 
I have done this myself several times and always cycled within a few days and dosing with ammonia and testing to be 100% sure, though I never did fish in cycle but its a good fast way of cycling a tank.
 
BTW doing as near to 100% or leave just enough water for the fish to swim upright, tail to head height of water, and add fresh temp matched dechlored water is acceptable.
 
She gave me her entire filter. o.0 She has multiple tanks, so I guess she'll probably use medium from them to replace the one she gave me.
I've popped the entire filter in a bucket with some water (20L) from my current tank.  Should I start a fishless cycle in the bucket, or should I pop it straight in the tank?
 
That was good of your aunt :)

Put filter straight onto the tank.
 
Ch4rlie said:
That was good of your aunt
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Put filter straight onto the tank.
Done.  Now to obsessively monitor ammonia and nitrate levels.  Are there any other things I should keep a look out for?
Thanks for all the advice so far. 
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Yep, keep an eye on ammonia and nitrite parameters.

If you see ammonia or nitrite, do a water change to lower these. Aim to keep ammonia below 0.25ppm or at zero.
 
Tested the water this morning.  0.5ppm ammonia, did a 30% change followed by a 50% change a few hours later and retested.  Still hovering between 0.25-0.5ppm.  Am I doing it wrong?
 
test your tap water for ammonia - it's not the first time I've seen ammonia readings in tap water, especially in countries outside of the U.K
 
Akasha72 said:
test your tap water for ammonia - it's not the first time I've seen ammonia readings in tap water, especially in countries outside of the U.K
You were right, 0.5ppm.  Sydney water uses chloramines, not very fish friendly.  Rainwater also contaminated with ammonia.  Is it time to move to the UK?
 
it's a long way to come to have ammonia free water! Have you got access to RO water in your area? It might be an option. See what other's think as here in the U.K it's not something we see. The members from those area's with ammonia in the water supply are best to advise you on how to deal with it :)
 
Akasha72 said:
it's a long way to come to have ammonia free water! Have you got access to RO water in your area? It might be an option. See what other's think as here in the U.K it's not something we see. The members from those area's with ammonia in the water supply are best to advise you on how to deal with it
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The lab at uni has some, but I doubt I could get past security with it 
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  I'll ask about it in the beginner's section. Thankyou for all the advice so far everyone, you've all been so helpful and reassuring.
 
A quality fish store should stock RO water and they will sell it to you in large containers. It's not an option for everyone (I can go with RO cos I'd have to drag it up a flight of stairs and I'm not able to manage that) but it's usually the answer to problem water
 
I didn't realize ammonia may be in tap water! Great to know and goos luck with your goldie
 
AmtotheBurr said:
I didn't realize ammonia may be in tap water! Great to know and goos luck with your goldie
 
I think ammonia is added to remove certain containments in tap water during the process of making safe tap water :/
 
There is a legal limit I think, about 0.50ppm if remember right,  that is what I know of UK waters anyway, but think USA and Aus would have similar guidlines, not 100% on that though.
 
But always worth checking anyway just to be sure ;)
 
Ch4rlie said:
 
I didn't realize ammonia may be in tap water! Great to know and goos luck with your goldie
 
I think ammonia is added to remove certain containments in tap water during the process of making safe tap water
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There is a legal limit I think, about 0.50ppm if remember right,  that is what I know of UK waters anyway, but think USA and Aus would have similar guidlines, not 100% on that though.
 
But always worth checking anyway just to be sure
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Sorry for bringing up such an old thread, but I wanted to address this issue of 'ammonia' in tap water.
 
 
Chloramine is added to some tap water supplies, as the chloramine is more stable and stays in the water longer.  The chloramine is added to the water for the same reason that chlorine is added - to kill bacteria.  The chloramine is Chloride and ammonium.   When the chemical bond is broken down, the ammonium is free in the tank and there you have your 'ammonia' source from the tap water.  Many dechlorinators deal with this ammonia.  
 
http://www2.epa.gov/dwreginfo/stage-1-and-stage-2-disinfectants-and-disinfection-byproducts-rules
 

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