Help Setting Up Tank

[DaveA76]

Hi
I am new to the furum so hello every one

What i am asking is i am about to set up a new tank with a sand substrate (kids play sand) and was wondering what i can do to speed up the cycle before i introduce fish, i already have a tank runing which i well established (about 5 years) would taking water from the old tank and adding it to the new tank speed up the process? and would the play sand cause any problems or am i better buying sand from my local aquatics store
thanks in advance
Dabe

 

[drufly]

Welcome to the forum dave. I would'nt use water from the tank, take some of the filter media from the excisting filter and put it in the new 1 should cycle your tank in maybe 1/2 weeks i think not too sure as i havnt done it myself yet but will do it when i get my new 240ltr.

Play sand will be spot on just rinse it well before you put it in.

 

[SharonCC]

I've heard that play sand can compact and form anerobic pockets....I've not used it , and I'm just repeating what I've read.

 

[drufly]

I've heard that play sand can compact and form anerobic pockets....I've not used it , and I'm just repeating what I've read.

I have heard people say it does and some say it does'nt, if using it maybe disrupt the sand maybe once a month to let any gas build up escape.

 

[Hawkins]

if you put swap some of the sponge in the filter with your old one, then you could put fish in today

if you leave it too long the bacteria on the sponge will die because they feed on ammonia and nitrate, which the fish produces.. no fish = no ammonia

 

[DaveA76]

as both tanks us an internal canister filter could i jusy swap them over (eg put the used 1 in the new tank and the new one in the established tank)or would this cause problems in my existing tank, both tanks are tha same size ?

 

[Mr Bliss]

as both tanks us an internal canister filter could i jusy swap them over (eg put the used 1 in the new tank and the new one in the established tank)or would this cause problems in my existing tank, both tanks are tha same size ?

That would probably cause a disaster in the old tank.

 

[DaveA76]

as both tanks us an internal canister filter could i jusy swap them over (eg put the used 1 in the new tank and the new one in the established tank)or would this cause problems in my existing tank, both tanks are tha same size ?

That would probably cause a disaster in the old tank.

ive not had a problem before when changing the foam insert for a new one thats why i though a new one wouldnt do any damage (i am runing fluval 4's in both tanks) or is just changing the foam inserts totally different to changing the whole filter?

 

[Rooster]

Playsand is just fine.... you will ONLY get problems if decaying matter is allowed to "sink" into it.... as its so dense, this is unlikely unless you have dead plants- in which case the roots shouls be removed, as is the case with ANY substrate ! If you are a "belt and braces" person, you simply stir it up whilst syphoning off old water during a water change.

As for your new tank, if both filters are the same (or similar) in design, you can remove half of the media from your established filter, and replace it with half of the new media from your new filter... the filter is then 100% cycled and theres no need to "cycle" the new tank... but as a wise precaution, go easy on the fish loads for a couple of months (as is true in any new tank)

 

[OldMan47]

The fluval 4+ has two filter elements in it. One is on each side of the filter cartridge. I would just trade one of the two and end up with a partially cycled new tank and a very small mini-cycle on the old tank. If your stocking is light on the old tank and you hold back a bit on feeding for a day or two you may not even see a cycle on the old tank but it's worth monitoring.

Edit: spelling

 

[DaveA76]

hi the pumps are fluval 4's not fluval 4 +'s

thanks everyone for your help it is much appreciated

 

[dthoffsett]

If you're not in too big of a hurry to set up your new tank, you can run the new filter on the old tank for a couple of weeks to cycle it (called cloning). Then set up your new tank, and move the new filter over, add fish the same day to keep the bacteria from dying off.

If you aren't planting, keep the sand depth at about 1 inch to help avoid the anaerobic pockets.

 

[DaveA76]

If you're not in too big of a hurry to set up your new tank, you can run the new filter on the old tank for a couple of weeks to cycle it (called cloning). Then set up your new tank, and move the new filter over, add fish the same day to keep the bacteria from dying off.

If you aren't planting, keep the sand depth at about 1 inch to help avoid the anaerobic pockets.

so have got this right. i run the new pump in the old tank and leave the old pump in aswell to keep the bacteria going then add the new "cloned" pump to the new tank ? if add the cloned pump to the new tank in the morning and add the fish to the new tank 12 hours later would this be ok? the sand i am planning to put it 1 1/2 inch deep as i will be adding a few plants, the only fish i will be moving over will be a 5" sailfin plec a 4" silver dollar and a silver tip, the old tank will be going as i only have room for the 1 now which will be a communoty tank, so sadly i will have to find a new home for "ozzy" my red tiger oscar who is about 7 ".
i have had tropical fish now for 5 years and at 1 point had 7 tanks but due to growing kids taking up room i am now down to 2, and must say i have learnt more in 2 days off here than i have reading books, thanks all its a learning curve this site, i will add pics when i get the tank in place up untill the finished article

 

[rabbut]

Ok, tank water contains such little baneficial bacteria, that we refur to it as useless as a cycling aid. Using water from the mature tank won't help, as the amount of bacteria transfered will be so little that it will make no practical difference. It's the filter media that will help most.

Sponge lasts many years. I know of tanks running 7+ year old sponges without issues. Replacing the sponges monthly wastes money and also risks crashing the tank 99% of the tanks benificial bacteria live in the sponges and throwing them out instantly un-cycles the tank... This will lead to ammonia and nitrite spikes that can kill fish realy quickly. For safety's sake, never remove more than 1/2 or a mature filter's media in one go 1/3 is safer, but a mature filter can replace half it's bacteria in 24hours, so after removal, simply feed lightly for a couple of days while the filter recovers.

To clone your new tank, simply replace half of the new meida with half of the esablished tank's media, and replace the removed mature media with the media replaced in the new filter. Then add half of the old tank's stocking level to the new tank. (add together the inches of fish in the mature tank, and then divide by two to get the number of inches of fish you can safely add the the new tank, assuming the new tanks fish are the same size as the old tank's a 12inch plec will produce loads more ammonia than 12 1inch tetras)

HTH some
Rabbut

 

[DaveA76]

Ok, tank water contains such little baneficial bacteria, that we refur to it as useless as a cycling aid. Using water from the mature tank won't help, as the amount of bacteria transfered will be so little that it will make no practical difference. It's the filter media that will help most.

Sponge lasts many years. I know of tanks running 7+ year old sponges without issues. Replacing the sponges monthly wastes money and also risks crashing the tank 99% of the tanks benificial bacteria live in the sponges and throwing them out instantly un-cycles the tank... This will lead to ammonia and nitrite spikes that can kill fish realy quickly. For safety's sake, never remove more than 1/2 or a mature filter's media in one go 1/3 is safer, but a mature filter can replace half it's bacteria in 24hours, so after removal, simply feed lightly for a couple of days while the filter recovers.

To clone your new tank, simply replace half of the new meida with half of the esablished tank's media, and replace the removed mature media with the media replaced in the new filter. Then add half of the old tank's stocking level to the new tank. (add together the inches of fish in the mature tank, and then divide by two to get the number of inches of fish you can safely add the the new tank, assuming the new tanks fish are the same size as the old tank's a 12inch plec will produce loads more ammonia than 12 1inch tetras)

HTH some
Rabbut

the problem i have is both my filters are fluval 4's not +'s and the filter is a foam cylinder that is all 1 peice ?