Does Old Tank Water Help To Cycle New Filter?

[jaycat]

Hi,

I'm setting up a rio 240, already have a record 96l, the new tank will have an external filter 305. Does it cycle any quicker if I use some water from the old tank and put it in the new one when I do my weekly clean? I know I can only use 50% of the old water, and it prob won't be very nuch in the new tank, but, will it help?

Doing a fishless cycle, unless my old media can cycle the new tank without amonia? I'm not too sure about these couple of things, could you clear this up for me please.

Thanks,

 

[JenCliBee]

Hi,

I'm setting up a rio 240, already have a record 96l, the new tank will have an external filter 305. Does it cycle any quicker if I use some water from the old tank and put it in the new one when I do my weekly clean? I know I can only use 50% of the old water, and it prob won't be very nuch in the new tank, but, will it help?

Doing a fishless cycle, unless my old media can cycle the new tank without amonia? I'm not too sure about these couple of things, could you clear this up for me please.

Thanks,

water doesnt really contain any benifical bacteria so adding the water wont really help no harm will be done but it wont cycle ut tank as for the adding meadia yes it will help but IMO u are still best 2 add a ammonia source for a few week and monitor levels just incase



jen

 

[Aphotic Phoenix]

You can easily "clone" your current cycled filter by removing a bit of the filter media and putting it into the new filter. Make sure you're providing the bacteria a food source so they don't starve and die of course.

 

[jaycat]

Ok, so add some old filter media to the filter itself, and add amonia as well? Just to be sure. Is it ok to do it with plants and everything in tank, do the plants survive? Thanks

 

[Corleone]

The plants will survive, many will thrive in a cycle. They prefer ammonia as their nitrogen source over nitrate.

 

[saz326]

Jaycat

When it comes time to add some of your fish to the new tank, it may be beneficial to drain some of the "new tank water" and replace it with "old tank water" from your Record 96L to save bagging and floating your fish in the new tank. This way the water quality in the new tank is likely to be closer to matching that of your old tank, + if there are slightly raised levels in the new tank, the old tank water will help dilute the problem down.

I recon it is far less stressful to fish to be netted and transferred straight into another tank than to be bagged up and floated. Especially when the fish have spines and tend to get cought up in nets.