Arrrggghhhh What's Cycling, New Tank And I've Already Got Fish

[waterdrop]

Okaaaaay...

But what about this?

Say someone got a cruddy subgravel bio filter completely cycled and supporting the tank, but he hates it cause of the gunk under it.

So he tries to get an external filter instead.

He has to run both at once, and he can't fishless cycle the tank cause he already fully stocked it.

What would someone do then?

You can add a new filter as an additional filter on an already cycled tank and just let it run and the fact that there are indeed beneficial bacteria within the old system will serve to inoculate the new filter. It will not speed up the cycling of the new filter as much as putting mature media in it but the new filter will have balanced the bacterial load with the old filter after a month or so I'd say. The transition to using -only- the new filter will still be difficult however because the new one will only be capable of supporting about half the fish load and so you will still have a fish-in cycling situation, requiring water changes, to get it fully up to speed.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Miss Wiggle]

yes just get a new filter, run both filters in tandem for at least a month (the longer the better) and when that's done just take the UG filter off

 

[Miss_Donna]

Hi thank you for pointing this post out to me am now doing 20% water changes every day which yes i agree is boring lol but as i have had my fish since june am not willing to get rid of them still waiting for a testing kit but am doing the changes and still adding filter start and obviously treating the replaced water with freshstart.Thanks again for showing me this post

 

[ccskitten]

This is a great post and has just answered about 5 questions I had in one go.

Thank you very much

 

[B5150]

I am posting this here as it is relative and would rather no generate a new thread on the same beginner topic.

Contrary to the encouraged popular practice of fishless cycling I am doing a with fish cycle.

I have a 62"x18"x24" (~140USG) tank. I have a brand new Fluval FX5 which includes Fluval BioMax Rings and Pre Filter Media.

Due to pressure from my kids to produce inhabitants I stocked the tank with about 4 dozen 3/8" to 1/2" common gold fish.

Dechlorinated Pre cycle readings: PH: 7.6/7.8, Ammonia: 0, Nitrite: 0, Nitrate: 0
Nearly two weeks later: same as above.

There has been zero change when water sampling daily and I have since reduced sampling to EOD.

Otherwise the water is crystal clear and fish are thriving and feeding well.

I understand that this process can be time intensive. In order to accelerate or even stimulate the process would it be better to increase feeding, increase fish content or just ride it out, knowing it will happen...in time?

 

[Miss Wiggle]

could just be a simple as a dodgy test kit telling you everything is fine when it isn't.

what test kit are you using and have you taken a sample of water to the lfs to be tested so you can compare readings?

 

[B5150]

Thanks for the follow up. I have the API Master Test Kit. In the interim I discovered that it was operator error. I have since begun 20% water changes as of yesterday.

Thank you.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

Thanks for the follow up. I have the API Master Test Kit. In the interim I discovered that it was operator error. I have since begun 20% water changes as of yesterday.

Thank you.

no probs, glad to see water changes are now taking place.

 

[kirztie14]

that post was great. really helped to explain a few of my unanswered questions!!
thanks

 

[becca's mommy]

hey I was just wondering how you go about getting mature filter media? I am new to all of this and don't even know what it is or how to get it. help please.

 

[fatheadminnow]

You will find a list of members here that are willing to donate mature filer media.

Just find someone who is close to you, and send them a PM.

-FHM

 

[rdd1952]

Hi becca's mommy and welcome to the forum.

There is one member in PA that signed on as a media donor on the pinned list. Christine1014 is in Allentown. Not certain if that is close to you or not. You can check out the list here. If you're close to the state line, there may be someone from an adjoining state that is close to you.

 

[becca's mommy]

Hi becca's mommy and welcome to the forum.

There is one member in PA that signed on as a media donor on the pinned list. Christine1014 is in Allentown. Not certain if that is close to you or not. You can check out the list here. If you're close to the state line, there may be someone from an adjoining state that is close to you.

I have checked the list but there is no one close to me. My neighbor has a tank that has been running for awhile and said I could get some from them but don't know how.

 

[fatheadminnow]

If he has a foam insert in his filter, and/or he has filter floss, or filter fiber, all you need to do is get a little bit of either one of those and stick it into your filter.

With the beneficial bacteria present in your filter, they will colonize much faster than starting out form scratch, and your tank will cycle sooner.

-FHM

 

[rdd1952]

What type of filter do you have and what type media does it have: foam, ceramic, carbon, filter packs, etc.? As mentioned, if your neighbor has a foam pad, buy one like it and then have them cut their foam filter and give you about a third of it. You can cut the new one and give them the same amount to replace the piece they give you. If they have ceramic media or something like Seachem Matrix they can just give you some to put in your filter packs.