Keeping My Media Alive For My Cycle

[loveforfhishies]

just a quick question, i got some mature media from a tank at my fish store. i been told it can die if i dont take care of it..

how do i keep it alive till my cycle is ready?

 

[Aprilia997]

Keep it wet, in a bucket with an airstone and throw in a piece or worm or a little fish food. As long as there is ammonia present it will live along time.

 

[loveforfhishies]

i have it in my filter already. i got it home in about 30 min and put it in. so its cycleing with my filter..
im just wondering how to keep it alive in my filter so it keeps producing bacteria

 

[Tolak]

You need a source of ammonia, either fish, or ammonia itself.

 

[InaneCathode]

Or bits of worm, fishfood

 

[Miss Wiggle]

if you have some mature media you can add some fish straight away if you've only got part of the media in your tank cycled then don't fully stock the tank, build up slowly and watch your levels.

or you can fishless cycle and the mature media will just mean it gets done loads faster. you just need to add an ammonia source i.e. pure ammonia or fishfood.

 

[loveforfhishies]

how much fish food would you add to a 55 gallon tank

 

[loveforfhishies]

do i put the fish food ( flakes ) in my filter or just in my tank. how often do i do this?

 

[loveforfhishies]

do i put the fish food ( flakes ) in my filter or just in my tank. how often do i do this?

 

[loveforfhishies]

come on guys, i put this in ther last night, i want it to stay alive, this is the second media i got, my last one died...

 

[InaneCathode]

Really really easy: Just keep feeding your filter. The bacteria need to stay alive, so you need to feed them their food which is ammonia. Ammonia comes from rotting plants, animals, fish flakes, and sometimes from a bottle you buy at home depot.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

just put a couple of pinches in every day, it can go straight in the tank