Buying Another Tank, Need Advice

[MermaidMel]

I just wondered what you thought of my idea to cycle a new tank. If I used half the water from my established tank, so effectively a 50% water change for one tank and 50% established water for the new tank. Would this be better than 100% new water in the new tank or not?

 

[orange shark]

the water will make no difference, its the bacteria in the filter that cycles the tank!

 

[doresy]

Hi, the water is only really a means of transport for food (ammonia) and oxygen to the filter. Much better to use some of the filter media from a matured filter and place it in the new filter to kick off cycling.

You are cycling the filter not the tank.

Also, there is very little benificial bacteria in the substrate either

 

[MermaidMel]

The tanks have those internal wet/dry filters so I could use half the old noodles in the new tank and replace half the old ones with new ones in the old tank.

But if I was to put the old filter media into the new tank and replace with new in the old tank, aren't I starting from scratch again in the old tank?

I should know this... but I'm panicking I'll get it wrong

 

[orange shark]

you need to take half the media out of the old one and put it in the new one, and take half of the media out of the new one and put it in the old one

 

[backtotropical]

If you take half the media from the old tank, you will be roughly halving the bacteria, obviously. You would need to keep an eye on it. Maybe not a good idea if your old tank is heavily stocked. May just cause trouble in your established tank. On the plus side, it will kickstart your new filter as you will be putting in half the bacteria from your old tank.

If you do this remember you would have to introduce some form of ammonia and nitrite immediately (pure ammonia if you are fishless cycling), otherwise your bacteria will die off pretty quick as they will have no 'food'.

Having said that, if you are careful not to lose any of the bacteria, you should in theory be able to stock your new tank to half the capacity of your old tank straight away.

Also, if you do transfer half of your media across, make sure the water for the new tank is properly dechlorinated before you add it as chlorine would kill off the bacteria which you have taken from the old tank.

Hope this helps.

 

[Aphotic Phoenix]

It only takes about 24 hours for your bacterial population to double in size...hence why using up to half your media is safe. I think I read somewhere though that the top 1/3 of a filter has the bulk of the bacteria population...

You don't have to remove a lot of your old filter media, just the more you move over the faster the newer tank fully cycles. Oh and don't forget that you need to "feed" the bacteria in the new tank so it doesn't die off.

 

[MermaidMel]

Thanks everyone

I was thinking, if I put half the filter media into the new tank AND half the fish to keep it going... what do you reckon?
(This would be the same as getting a tank twice the size and putting all the fish, all the filter media and double the amount of water in right?)

 

[MermaidMel]

Bump