Cycling Q

[jiffy]

I have just set up a 30 gallon tank that will be home to 20 juvinile Ps. Saulosi. Unfortunately, I have to buy all 20 at the same time.

I was planning on putting some filter floss into my 10g tank's filter, and putting a filter cartridge from my 30 gallon tank's filter into the 10 gallon tank (free floating since they are different filters).

I figured after a week or two I would be able to get the Saulosi, move the filter floss and filter cartridge into the 30g tank, and it should be mostly cycled.

Does this sound like an good plan, or should I cycle the 30 gallon on its own?

 

[smurfyy_2k3]

i got confused reading your post but it sounds like your wanting to clone your tank to do that you just take some of the filter medium from the already cycled tank and place it in the new tank make sure there is a source of ammonia for the bacteria to survive

 

[Torrean]

that won't completely clone the tank. The ten has a lower bioload than the 30 will. If you want to completely avoid a cycle you should seed the tank like your were planning to or follow smurfy's instructions. Either will seed your tank. Then you should add ammonia and do a fishless cycle. Once the fishless cycle completes you can add your fish all at once and you "should" not experience a cycle. Or you can seed the tank put in the fish monitor water stats and do a few water changes when levels get high. Either will work. Personally I would seed the tank and do the water changes.

 

[jiffy]

I should be able to get my 30g filter onto my 10g tank. My 30g is/will be filtered by 2 Penguin 200's. My 10g is filtered by a Penguin Mini.

I could put a Penguin 200 on my 10g instead of the Penguin mini, use new filter media, and put the filter media and filter floss from the penguin mini in the Penguin 200, run it for I dont know how long, then when the 20 Saulosi come, Transfer the Penguin 200 over to the 30g but put the Penguin Mini filter and filter media back onto the 10g.

Will that work and how long should I leave the Penguin 200 running on the 10g?

Or - Fishless cycle one filter in the 30gal and run the other filter on my 10g. I actually think this would be the best option...

 

[diademhill]

Fishless cycle the 30g but seed the filter from the 10g's filter.
What are you going to do with 20 P. Saulosi? They won't fit in the 30g for long.