How To Instantly Cycle A Fishtank?

[HHH]

So i upgraded to a new 55 gallon and i was wondering if i could transfer over all my decor from my old tank and put it into the bew tank to make an "instant cycle". i could also add some substrate as well ( or all of it ) with this method can i add fish instantly? ( i have some slightly sensitive fish a farlowella and khuli loaches) Thank you all

 

[Skies]

While the good bacteria does attach itself to all surfaces of your tank, there isn't enough there to instantly cycle a new one, however, it would speed the process up. The only way to instantly cycle a tank is with established filter media... some people also swear by store bought starters.
 
Unless you seed it with established media or buy a starter, I wouldn't add any fish until you know your readings are consistent. 

 

[fluttermoth]

If you move the filter media, and all of it, that'll mean your new tank will be cycled, for the amount of fish you have now.
 
There is a small amount of bacteria in the substrate and on decor, in a mature tank, but not enough to cycle it.
 
As with all major tank upheavals, you should feed sparingly and test often for the week or so after the change; it can happen that some of the bacteria die off when they're moved, but the colonies will soon bounce back. A few extra water changes is all the would be needed, if that happens.

 

[dgwebster]

^^^^^ what fluttermoth said.

 

[HHH]

thanks for all the replies so i guess ill find away to wiegh down my biowheel but how long should i wait before adding my livestock?

 

[Meeresstille]

To instantly cycle my 5 gallon QT to set it up as a Betta tank all I did was "borrow" some substrate from my 40 gallon a small piece of bogwood, and some mature media from the filter. 
Then I acclimated the little Betta for 40 minutes and added her to the tank. I did just let her swim from the bag into the tank even though it is not really encouraged to have the bag water mix with the tank water. But I think it was OK since it was just her in that tank and any ammonia from the bag water would feed the bacteria in the filter.
 
If you are using mature media from your filter you can add fish right away, just keep checking your water parameters for any spikes!
If you don't want to add any fish right away you will need to feed the bacteria in the filter with bottled ammonia or they will die off.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

While the bacteria live all over a tank, in a properly filtered tank, a fair number will be in the bio-media. Moving over everything but the filtration would give you a great jump start in terms of seeding but not enough to move over the entire fish load. If you wish to get closest to instantly cycled you need to move over everything you can from the old to the new tank, incuding the filter bio-media. What  bacteria may get left behind this way will not matter.  Any ammonia/nitrite spike that might occur should be small and short lived.
 
It is possible to set up a fully cycled tank and stock it as soon as its done. In the OP's case, getting rid of a few fish and moving what remained would move them up to tank fully cyled for the lessened load. Or you could add a bunch of new live plants to the new tank and that could take up the slack immediately and let you move all the fish at once.
 
If you have several tanks, you can steal stuff from multiple tanks such that a newly set up tank has a full compliment of bacteria right away.
 
Lastly, one can add certain bottled bacteria. But even they need a little time to get up to full strength. You would have to do a mini fishless cycle. If money doesn't matter you can overdose them and that would get you close to instant.
 
But in the end what you are asking is: "Can one put enough established bacteria into a new tank such that it will be cyled right away." And the answer is yes, if you have the right stuff to do it.

 

[Sophie]

As far as I've understood things, your filter currently running on the tank with the fish harbour enough bacteria to deal with the amount of fish you have in there.
If you are moving all the fish over, then you need all the filter media.
If you're moving 50% then 50% is needed roughly about, but it's dodgy in terms that you do not know how much bacteria is on what bit of media and how much waste each fish actually produces and so on and so forth.
 
I think with anything, it's better to be safe than sorry and transfer everything. Spikes of ammonia or nitrite (depending on which bacteria might die off in the move) can be lethal.
 
Just monitor the levels every few hours and do water changes if anything is out of the ordinary.
 
I've done this recently and within a couple of hours went from 0 nitrite (blue on API test kit) to dark purple (can't remember measurements) which took a heavy 80% water change to stop my fish panting like crazy. Entered a mini cycle but it only lasted like 2/3 days
 
Good luck!

 

[Skies]

As long as the media stays wet, none of the bacteria will die, especially if you're just taking it out of one tank and transferring it into another. The bacteria is quite hardy, I just recently got my 75 gal back up and running, the filter hadn't been running in months, although it still had water in it... flipped it on, added a fish, and boom, still instantly cycled the tank with no spikes. (API Liquid Master Kit)

 

[Sophie]

As long as the media stays wet, none of the bacteria will die, especially if you're just taking it out of one tank and transferring it into another. The bacteria is quite hardy, I just recently got my 75 gal back up and running, the filter hadn't been running in months, although it still had water in it... flipped it on, added a fish, and boom, still instantly cycled the tank with no spikes. (API Liquid Master Kit)

 
Really? Just stagnant water?
 
I thought bacteria a) needed constant flowing water to help feed the bacteria in the filter with oxygen and b) needs a source of ammonia to 'eat' and stay alive  

 

[Skies]

I have no idea, but it worked... I honestly didn't think it would, but it did. I have no explanation. I also thought that it needed a supply of food, possibly the bacteria may go dormant if kept wet? (researching now)
 
EDIT: Apparently my tank is a miracle... and shouldn't have been possible... no idea!

 

[Sophie]

I have no idea, but it worked... I honestly didn't think it would, but it did. I have no explanation. I also thought that it needed a supply of food, possibly the bacteria may go dormant if kept wet? (researching now)
 
EDIT: Apparently my tank is a miracle... and shouldn't have been possible... no idea!

Perhaps the spikes were so small you never picked up on it? As it was just one fish? Effectively doing a fish in cycle but not severe as there wasn't much ammonia produced. Could you of missed changes with water tests? How regularly did you do it?

Certainly not something to be advising to other members though

 

[dgwebster]

I had my canister unplugged for 2 weeks whilst redecorating was going on, got a 0.25/0.5 spike for just under a week.

 

[Skies]

The tank has been up since November 26th, 2011, it's well established, I think that has a lot to do with it. After all of my stock died off due to a black algae incident, I kinda gave up, but the one fish never died, so I decided to save him since he was a fighter, and I appreciate that. Did a massive 90% water change and turned on the filter... readings are fine, water is crystal clear and the fish is a happy camper, been about a week.

 

[Sophie]

So the fish never got taken out? I am so confused with this story now ha ha