Is my tank now instantly cycled?

[Elisabeth83]

Now I got my new tank all set up and it's a beauty. I've added a large nylon of gravel from my 6 month old established tank as well as adding a large piece of sponge from my old filter to the new filter and vise versa.

I'm waiting now for it to clear up a bit as well as for the temperature to rise. When do you think I can add fish to it?

 

[cation]

Your tank is not instantly cycled, you will still need to monitor it (by testing) to determine when it is totally cycled. It should not take nearly as long as cycling a tank from scratch, though . However, without ammonia or fish waste to eat, all of your good bacteria will die soon. You either need to put in a fish or two, or get some pure ammonia, or use fish flake method. But it you don't do one of those things, your bacteria will die and then you will be starting from scratch!

 

[Elisabeth83]

Ok once the temp rises I'll add 2 mollies from my other tank to it.

How long do you think it'll take to cycle?

 

[Tolak]

If you take half the filter media & half the gravel from the established tank and put it in the new tank, you should be able to put in half the fish from the established tank. Proportionatly less gravel & media, proportionally less fish.

I've taken sponge filters that sit on a 20 gallon just to cycle, put them in another 20 gallon & toss in 300 3 week old angels without a problem. Bare tank, only a heater, a sponge filter, water, & fish. They do fine.

Tolak

 

[Elisabeth83]

Ok yeah that makes sense. I really need to get some fish moved over soon I have fry coming out of my ears!!

Hopefully by the morning (it's 8:15 pm here now) the temperature will be perfect and I'll be able to move some of the fish into it.