Tips On Cycling A 160 Gallon Tank

[KingKenny]

I bought a 6.5ft tank this weekend, and it is now set up and ready to go. The previous owner delivered it yesterday and told me the filter media had been dry/damp after he had empied it (it's a rena xp3)

The sand had to be thoroughly washed and now my question is to do with cycling. 12 hours previously it was a cycled tank, and now I expect the bacteria to have died.

I have an extablished 24x12 tank in another room running a Fluval 2. Should I be use squeezings from this or even place one of the small foam pieces within my Rena external filter?

I asked the LFS about this and they advised against it, and said I should cycle with fish instead.

I don't want to fishless cycle as it seems complicated and plus I spend days away from home and can't ask my girlfriend do do this as she hasn't a clue.

I've considered adding a few of my platies but would it take an absolute age to cycle a 160 gallon tank with 5 inches of livebearer!

 

[freddyk]

Should I be use squeezings from this or even place one of the small foam pieces within my Rena external filter?

I asked the LFS about this and they advised against it, and said I should cycle with fish instead.

Your LFS isn't thinking. You can use bacteria from your existing tank, but you also need fish to provide ammonia to keep it alive. Just keep in mind that what you can get from the first tank is very little compared to the size of the new tank, so while the bacteria will still help jumpstart a bit, you do need to introduce the fish slowly. Squeezings won't do anything because the bacteria sticks to the surface of the media, use the actual media.

 

[qwikimpss]

You mention you have an established tank then "seed" the 160 with some gravel, decor or some old filter media. Then toss in some fish to keep those bacteria alive so they can spread to your filter.

This way has worked for me!

 

[Nim]

Yep Using the media from an established tank is a better step to start then anything else.

Squeezing does help as all the muck etc. in the filter also houses a lot of bacteria but if you can spare a part of media from an older mature tank to move into the new one then go for it.

It is also very important to have fish in there when you move the media else you are only moving the bacteria to the new tank to starve it.

Nim