Cycling Tank Newbie. All Advice Very Welcome

[eaglesaquarium]

Is it ok?! OF COURSE!!! This can instantly cycle you for a specific amount of fish.


Take no more than 1/3 of her media. Then, you can add as much fish as 1/3 of her stocking amount. If you wait to add fish, then you risk the possibility of having the good bacteria die back.


Add her media, then run out and get some fish. Let's say your sister has 30 inches of fish in her tank, then you could add 10 inches of fish, fairly safely. You might want to consider going a bit less than that, but getting juvies (which is generally all that is available in the LFS anyway). Then let this go just like that for two full weeks to ensure everything is safe before adding more. 10 inches of juvenile fish should be a nice size shoal of some small fish.


What are your stocking plans?

 

[Rummynose]

Is there a way you could move the tank now before you set it up completely? When you are moving the tank you want to have it pretty close to empty, since water is a lot heavier than it looks, add the weight of substrate and decorations and you run the risk of damaging/cracking your tank before you had a chance to enjoy it.

Good stuff that your sister will be able to give you some media, instant cycle!

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Agreed. You REALLY want to move the tank completely EMPTY!!! First, it will be easier in terms of weight, but secondly it is dangerous to move it full of stuff... Breakage would absolutely be possible and not worth the time it would take to empty it and do it properly.

 

[Bri]

Do I not need to leave her filter media in for a bit??? I also want to get plants and decor set up first so should i do all that before getting her filter media. I.e is getting her filter stuff the last thing i do before fish!?I have alot of ideas for fish and will start a tank journal tomorrow. Super thrilled I don't have to be master chemist to get my tank running. Last question I promise, when can I put my plants in? MERRY FISHMAS!!!!!!

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Yes, the LAST thing before getting fish should be getting the media from your sister. You don't want the bacteria to die back. The bacteria die back at a rate of about 12% per 24 hours.



You can put your plants in at any time. In fact, adding them a bit before fish will give them a chance to get used to the light you have. (I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that you need to move the tank to the proper place before you do any aquascaping.)


Feel free to share your stocking plans and folks around here will offer advice regarding numbers and compatibility. (You can, of course, veto any advice offered, as it is your tank after all!)

 

[Bri]

Also it's on a stand so when I say move I mean slide it with very little water. I can't move the Christmas tree to put my tank in place, I'll be killed! And I'm too impatient to wait till after the holidays to start playing with my tank.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Be very careful...