Any Ideas How To Quickly Cycle A Tank?

[BusyMumof5]

I'm soon to be purchasing a new tank.
Problem is, it will need pretty immediate cycling.
CAN this be done?
I understand it can take 2 weeks, but judging by my poll I set up - I DO NOT have 2 weeks to cycle.

How can I seperate the pregnant ones?
Do I put a jug on top of the tank for the Mother and babies - but I've heard she can eat her babies?

I'm quite worried and need some advice!
It was only about 2 days ago I realised the real sex of the fish and googled images to find they could well be at popping stage...

I have Cycle+ which I use to make tap water safe, and a water conditioning product too.

These both say 'Can add fish immediately'' but .. can you really?

 

[moochy13]

the biggest help will be if you can get some 'used' filter media from your current tank to put in the new one to start it up sooner. do that, and if you have to fish in cycle. as long as you keep on top of water changes it shouldnt be a problem, its just a labour intensive method of starting a tank. the smaller the tank the more on the ball you need to be as theres less water to dilute the toxins.

maybe explain to a local lfs that you have some unexpected additions coming soon and would really appreciate some used media (sponges or those little cermaic bio rock thingys). perhaps the place youre getting the tank from can help. or somebody local.

 

[BusyMumof5]

the biggest help will be if you can get some 'used' filter media from your current tank to put in the new one to start it up sooner. do that, and if you have to fish in cycle. as long as you keep on top of water changes it shouldnt be a problem, its just a labour intensive method of starting a tank. the smaller the tank the more on the ball you need to be as theres less water to dilute the toxins.

maybe explain to a local lfs that you have some unexpected additions coming soon and would really appreciate some used media (sponges or those little cermaic bio rock thingys). perhaps the place youre getting the tank from can help. or somebody local.

That's a good idea, why didn't I think of that!
The new tank is 200 litres? It's a good 4ft long, so compared to what we have - it's huge!
How much water changes should I do daily?
I'm trying not to panic but I am a complete novice!

So, perhaps take half the media rocks and a filter squeese into the new tank and put half new media in both tanks?

 

[moochy13]

im no expert myself, so id wait for more confirmation. but i think a 3rd of the current media is the safe amount to remove. im pretty sure you can even just hang the matured media in front of the inlet on the new filter, so water getting sucked through picks up bacteria on the way. im not sure about the ins and outs of fish in cycling, theres a pinned thread about it somewhere, probably in the 'new aquarium' bit or whatever its called. and yes replace whatever you take from the old filter with new media.

 

[KittyKat]

I'm soon to be purchasing a new tank.
Problem is, it will need pretty immediate cycling.
CAN this be done?
I understand it can take 2 weeks, but judging by my poll I set up - I DO NOT have 2 weeks to cycle.

Please explain your situation in more detail, are you going from a cycled tank to a new set-up?

How can I seperate the pregnant ones?
Do I put a jug on top of the tank for the Mother and babies - but I've heard she can eat her babies?

Not worth separating: the stress of being moved or being moved to a small, confined space can easily be more than enough to kill the mother. Yes, she and other fish may eat the babies. If you want babies to survive, in my experience it is best to heavily plant the tank.

It was only about 2 days ago I realised the real sex of the fish and googled images to find they could well be at popping stage...

Lesson learned the hard way: research before buying.

These both say 'Can add fish immediately'' but .. can you really?

They won't cycle the tank for you.

Normally best option is to run both filters (old and new) parallel on the new tank for 6 weeks. There is no "insta-cycle" product out there yet.

 

[BusyMumof5]

I'm soon to be purchasing a new tank.
Problem is, it will need pretty immediate cycling.
CAN this be done?
I understand it can take 2 weeks, but judging by my poll I set up - I DO NOT have 2 weeks to cycle.

Please explain your situation in more detail, are you going from a cycled tank to a new set-up?

How can I seperate the pregnant ones?
Do I put a jug on top of the tank for the Mother and babies - but I've heard she can eat her babies?

Not worth separating: the stress of being moved or being moved to a small, confined space can easily be more than enough to kill the mother. Yes, she and other fish may eat the babies. If you want babies to survive, in my experience it is best to heavily plant the tank.

It was only about 2 days ago I realised the real sex of the fish and googled images to find they could well be at popping stage...

Lesson learned the hard way: research before buying.

These both say 'Can add fish immediately'' but .. can you really?

They won't cycle the tank for you.

Normally best option is to run both filters (old and new) parallel on the new tank for 6 weeks. There is no "insta-cycle" product out there yet.

Thanks!
1) My set up: Currently a 40 litre tank, housing 4 Neon Teta's, 5 Molly's and 2 Guppys. 2 of the 'balloon' type Molly's most likely heavily pregnant, and I have no way of seperating them so they can have their babies safely.
I will look into buying some more plants! (Thanks for that tip!)

I should of known that pregnancy was on the cards as they came out of the ''assorted'' tank!

So, Even I use the 'Add fish immediatly'' product, you really can't add them straight away (Or if you do, they will all die off?)

I'm still very new to this and it's confusing for me!

 

[KittyKat]

I think it is best if this time you do not worry about saving the babies. Maybe next time you will be better prepared For the moment, I would advise you to move everything from the old tank into the new one (gravel, filter, water, everything) and keep testing the water. If you do not have a liquid test kit, get one. API make a good one. You should not have a problem if you do not increase the feeding, and especially if you get more plants.

Then, in 4-6 weeks, you can start getting more fish.

In 6 weeks (after adding everything to the new tank), you can move the old filter back to the small tank and use the small tank as a baby tank, if you like.

Best plants for fry tend to be Java moss and hornwort, in my experience.

p.s. what type of filter is in the small tank?

 

[karin]

Listen to Kat, she knows her stuff. I too would advise relaxing on the baby thing. You will have plenty more chances to raise young if that is what you want.... make certain it is what you want because many people end up with 100s of mollys or guppys (the prolific breeders) and don't know what to do with them. Then you have a real problem. You may want to separate out the males and females so they don't breed willynilly.

Just be prepared and thoughtful about this.

 

[BethK]

I'd say, in this instance, it maybe better to place a tank divider in your current tank, seperating the mollys from the rest of the community. Once they give birth, move the mums over and hopefully by then, you have your other tank sorted out, to put the fry in.

 

[Harlequins]

I think it is best if this time you do not worry about saving the babies. Maybe next time you will be better prepared For the moment, I would advise you to move everything from the old tank into the new one (gravel, filter, water, everything) and keep testing the water. If you do not have a liquid test kit, get one. API make a good one. You should not have a problem if you do not increase the feeding, and especially if you get more plants.

Then, in 4-6 weeks, you can start getting more fish.

In 6 weeks (after adding everything to the new tank), you can move the old filter back to the small tank and use the small tank as a baby tank, if you like.

Best plants for fry tend to be Java moss and hornwort, in my experience.

p.s. what type of filter is in the small tank?

I agree with kitty kat - this is probably the best way to go
Adding plenty of plants,some of the fry will probably survive anyway,you could always get a net breeder which hangs onto the side of the tank which you can use temporarily to save any fry that you may spot...
But has livebearers drop every 4-5 weeks,then you will probably be over run with them before long anyway.