Half Cycling.?

[Trice]

hi, basically. I got an aquarium from a family member, but it doesnt come with a stand. I cant find a stand for it, am still looking. But have cleaned out everything, the tank, the filter etc. So was just wondering, while i look for a stand would it be possible if i half fill the tank and let that bit cycle and build up bacteria, then when i find the stand, i put the tank on the stand and fill the rest. Or is it not a good idea?
Greg

 

[Miss Wiggle]

It's the filter that actually cycles not the tank, so long as you can get the filter to run (i.e. if it's internal submerge it completley, or if it's external submerge the in/out pipes) then you can cycle it. the volume of water in the tank is actually meaningless.

however what i would be concerned with is straining the tank and breaking it. as long as it's on a proper flat surface that can support it's weight then it's fine, however if you have it (e.g.) on a table that's too small so the edge's are overhanging, or on an uneven surface, then you'll strain the tank with even a relativley small amount of water in and could either crack it now or weaken it for the future.

 

[Trice]

It's the filter that actually cycles not the tank, so long as you can get the filter to run (i.e. if it's internal submerge it completley, or if it's external submerge the in/out pipes) then you can cycle it. the volume of water in the tank is actually meaningless.

however what i would be concerned with is straining the tank and breaking it. as long as it's on a proper flat surface that can support it's weight then it's fine, however if you have it (e.g.) on a table that's too small so the edge's are overhanging, or on an uneven surface, then you'll strain the tank with even a relativley small amount of water in and could either crack it now or weaken it for the future.

Ah, well it's on my bedroom floor atm, in the exact place that the cabinet will go.
The filter is part of the lid?

 

[ox5477]

The filter is a seperate entity un to itself. It usually contains some sort of centrifugal pump that pulls water in from the main water, passing it through many different types of media and then putting it back into the main water. There are quite a few different kinds of filters:

Internal - almost the entire filter is submerged in the tank and the process described above occurs. Can come with attachments for spray bars and focused jet to help circulate the water column or help with O2 and CO2 mixing in the water

Hang on the Back (HOB) - Do as the name suggests--hang on the back of the tank-- and protrude a "straw" into the water. using the pump it sucks the water up and the flow of water pushes the water through the media and then it will usually trickel back into the tank through a quarter arc shaped return

External - Usually called canisters, these filters are used when appearance is especially important or when high filtration is wanted. They can hold many different types of media and depending on the make and model of the filter, usually passes alot of flow through. Can be much more expensive than the previous two

Then I could get into things called wet/drys and sumps but I think for someone just starting, the three mentioned above are the best choices.

And too.... you might see something called an "undergravel filter." This uses a serious of grates underneath the substrate to pass water through the substrate and up to a powerhead which will have a foam wrap around the outlet. This type of filter has little to no useful mechanical filtration and marginal at best biological filtration... so please, don't even think about using this method.

 

[Colin_T]

you can cycle the filter in a large bucket or plastic storage crate. Just find one that holds the filter and at least 20litres of water and away you go.

 

[Trice]

The filter is a HOB, The aquarium is an Aqua one AR-620 so yeah. Built in filter.

Would this 'straw' the end of the power head, be required to be submerged in the stones? As it stands the tube and plastic end type mesh is about an inch from the bottom of the tank. When i put stones in, it'll be approx an inch extra under the stones, but the mesh would still be an inch or two above the stones?

 

[Colin_T]

the intake pipe of the filter should not be covered in stones/gravel. If it is too long then you can usually cut it with a sharp knife or hacksaw.

You could cycle the filter media in a bucket or tub. Use an air operated box filter and put the media in that. Then cycle it in a bucket. Once it is cycled and the tank is set up you simply move the filter materials into the filter on the tank.

 

[waterdrop]

Once you modify the filter tubes and get it working, I don't see any reason why you can't fill the tank on the floor and cycle it like normal. Then whenever the stand comes and you want to lift it up you just remove 90% of the water and do it. Add new water with dechlor and temp matching, recharge to the ammonia level you want and continue fishless cycling - it shouldn't slow the process down too much I don't think.

 

[Colin_T]

The main reason you don’t sit tanks on the floor and fill them up is if the floor isn't perfectly level and even then the tank can break. Plenty of tanks have been split on the base because they were filled up while sitting on the floor.
If you have an inch of polystyrene foam under the tank then it should be fine. You can also put a couple of lengths of wood under the edges and have it sit on that. This will allow the bottom to bow a bit and will help prevent it from cracking.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

The main reason you don’t sit tanks on the floor and fill them up is if the floor isn't perfectly level and even then the tank can break. Plenty of tanks have been split on the base because they were filled up while sitting on the floor.
If you have an inch of polystyrene foam under the tank then it should be fine. You can also put a couple of lengths of wood under the edges and have it sit on that. This will allow the bottom to bow a bit and will help prevent it from cracking.

that's the badger

with the filter you have, so long as the intake is submerged that's enough water to cycle the filter. however (if the filter works as i picture it) then the waters gonna trickle through and fall back into the tank, if you've the tank only partly full the water has a long way to fall and will then be all splashy and trickly. not a problem practically for cycling. however if it's in your bedroom or basically anywhere you spend a lot of time it'll be really annoying and you'll need the loo constantly!!

 

[waterdrop]

what fun, we get the badger and the comic both now...

Yes, Colin makes a good point as always! I was making an assumption that could lead to a breakage! I was assuming the tank has one of those frames around the edges, at least the bottom edges that allows it to be correctly cradled no matter where it is set. In fact, we don't have any information from OP about the type of tank, so Colin is right - if its a bare glass rectangle then the bottom needs to be worried about.

What type is it, Greg?

 

[Trice]

Once you modify the filter tubes and get it working, I don't see any reason why you can't fill the tank on the floor and cycle it like normal. Then whenever the stand comes and you want to lift it up you just remove 90% of the water and do it. Add new water with dechlor and temp matching, recharge to the ammonia level you want and continue fishless cycling - it shouldn't slow the process down too much I don't think.

I wouldnt fill the tank either way. Until i got it on a stand.

The main reason you don’t sit tanks on the floor and fill them up is if the floor isn't perfectly level and even then the tank can break. Plenty of tanks have been split on the base because they were filled up while sitting on the floor.
If you have an inch of polystyrene foam under the tank then it should be fine. You can also put a couple of lengths of wood under the edges and have it sit on that. This will allow the bottom to bow a bit and will help prevent it from cracking.

That is why i wouldnt fill the tank, it's only on the floor for the time being until i find myself a stand. But the stand is only semi on my list of things i have going on, main focus is on the reptile eggs hatching.

The main reason you don’t sit tanks on the floor and fill them up is if the floor isn't perfectly level and even then the tank can break. Plenty of tanks have been split on the base because they were filled up while sitting on the floor.
If you have an inch of polystyrene foam under the tank then it should be fine. You can also put a couple of lengths of wood under the edges and have it sit on that. This will allow the bottom to bow a bit and will help prevent it from cracking.

that's the badger

with the filter you have, so long as the intake is submerged that's enough water to cycle the filter. however (if the filter works as i picture it) then the waters gonna trickle through and fall back into the tank, if you've the tank only partly full the water has a long way to fall and will then be all splashy and trickly. not a problem practically for cycling. however if it's in your bedroom or basically anywhere you spend a lot of time it'll be really annoying and you'll need the loo constantly!!

Ah, that wouldn't really affect me too much, i have 17 reptiles in my room all making noise day and night. So a little water wouldn't bug me lol

what fun, we get the badger and the comic both now...

Yes, Colin makes a good point as always! I was making an assumption that could lead to a breakage! I was assuming the tank has one of those frames around the edges, at least the bottom edges that allows it to be correctly cradled no matter where it is set. In fact, we don't have any information from OP about the type of tank, so Colin is right - if its a bare glass rectangle then the bottom needs to be worried about.

What type is it, Greg?

Sorry i wasn't overly descriptive and the late reply etc.

The tank is an Aqua one AR-620 - The front is magnified? it curves outwards.
The movement of alot of water in the tank can cause cracking or so i've been told. Which is why i'd only have a few inches possibly of water. Or wait until i have the stand?

 

[Miss Wiggle]

personally i wouldn't run the risk of cracking it so i'd leave it. however if you can be certain that the bottom of the tank is fully supported and on an even surface then go ahead. i'd recommend doing something like putting a sheet of polystyrene on the floor then a sheet of ply wood on top of it(make sure it's good quality ply and not warped) then another sheet of polystyrene then the tank on top of that. that would hopefully even out the bumps and make the strain of the water even on the tank.

 

[Trice]

personally i wouldn't run the risk of cracking it so i'd leave it. however if you can be certain that the bottom of the tank is fully supported and on an even surface then go ahead. i'd recommend doing something like putting a sheet of polystyrene on the floor then a sheet of ply wood on top of it(make sure it's good quality ply and not warped) then another sheet of polystyrene then the tank on top of that. that would hopefully even out the bumps and make the strain of the water even on the tank.

The floor seems very level. It's a wooden floor, but obviously with the weight of even a little water it may change. I think i'll wait until i find a stand

 

[pastabake]

Perfect opportunity for you to make a custom stand. There's a few examples in the DIY section.