"cloning" tanks

[fish_keeper2]

i herd that u can "clone" your tank by adding the filter media from an established tank to a new one. how do does this work, what do u do(if theres more besides add the filter media), and how long til i can add fish to the new tank

 

[Avinitlarge]

I cloned my tank a few months ago and put the fish straight in, We used about 50 litres of the old water and filled the rest up with fresh water, We DIDNT clean the gravel or the filters. Once the water had gotten up to temp we added the fish. Had no problems at all.

 

[LifeBear]

If you move the filter media you are pretty much moving the cycle from one tank to the other. Most of the beneficial nitrifying bacteria live in the filter media. If the water is clean and dechlorinated in the new tank you shouls be able to add fish right away. If you wait to add the fish, the bacteria might starve in an ammonia-less tank. You NEED to go ahead and add the fish to keep the ammonia production going.

 

[fish_keeper2]

ok thanks for answering.......is it the same if there is new gravel and most of the plants are new?

 

[SarahBravo]

Yep, I put 1/2 old gunky filter media in, with new gravel, brand new everything else actually and my tank is fine 2 weeks later, with 14 fish and 16 snails added straight away. I did scoop off some surface gravel off an old tank (a cup or so) and put it in a stocking and put it in the new tank, but I don;t know if this is an old wives tale or not. The filter media is the important thing.

 

[fish_keeper2]

ok well thanks everyone for answering me question....and fast too

 

[Paul_MTS]

adding gravel to a new tank is only really noticible when coming from a tank that has under gravel filtration.

in UG sustems the substrate is relied on as the biological bacteria so there fore if you take substrate from a old tank with a UGF then yes putting the gravel inside the filter will help.

But if the old tank is filtered with a internal, external or HOB filter then the gravel won't hold much if any useful bacteria for your new tank.

All I do is take a cupful of Ehiem substrat pro out of my external filter put it in the new filter somewhere and hey presto 1 ready to run tank. I tend to add the media when the new fish are floating in the tank.

Water holds nothing useful apart from maybe the right temperature!

 

[Fiori]

It has'nt worked well for me this time I'm afraid - 1/2 old filter media, everything else new, 5 otos and 6 corys. I have lost 2 corys after 5 days, even with daily water changes, I can't keep my ammonia or nitrite at zero and the tank is going though a mini cycle of major proportions.

 

[Synirr]

Cloning is one of the reasons my grandmother's fish are still alive... I put some of my old, nasty filter media in her filter when I set her tank up, and it was enough to instantly cycle. That tank gets cleaned once a month if it's lucky (I'm the only one who cleans it and my grandmother lives an hour away... but what are you supposed to do, tell an 86 year old woman she isn't allowed to have any pets?)