Mature Tanks...

[coldcazzie]

I have a question about mature tanks - I have some rummy noses and am considering moving them from the tank they are in into another one. But that tank is currently empty and would have to be set up from scratch, fishless cycled etc. My question is once the fishless cycle is complete would using old tank water from their old tank help any towards tank maturity or not? What about moving some of the plastic/real plants?

 

[Ryandsimmons]

I have a question about mature tanks - I have some rummy noses and am considering moving them from the tank they are in into another one. But that tank is currently empty and would have to be set up from scratch, fishless cycled etc. My question is once the fishless cycle is complete would using old tank water from their old tank help any towards tank maturity or not? What about moving some of the plastic/real plants?

If you move some of the mature media from your old filter to your new one you will be able to cut the cycle down dramatically.

Or have the filter for your new tank running in the old tank for a few weeks first. As I understand it you'll be pretty much cycled when you move the filter across.

 

[steelhealr]

Media is best (extra sponge, eg). Although there are definitely bacteria in the water, the filter media and probably substrate contain the most. That's why when you read about putting ill fish in a quarantine tank, many of our forum members will correctly recommend to keep an extra sponge in the filter to be removed and placed in the filter used in the quarantine tank. SH

 

[coldcazzie]

Ok, I've obviously not explained myself well.

I'm not talking about the filter. I'm talking about the actual tank. Rummy nose tetras (like cardinals and neons) like tanks that are mature - ie. have been up and running for 6months+. My question is, will moving some of the water/decor from my large tank that they are currently in which has been running for 4years have any impact on the new tank's maturity?

 

[Honeythorn]

It's not the actual glass tank and it's contents or water that is classed as mature, it's the filter. Therefore as said, if you take some of your mature filter media and put it into the new filter, it will mature FAR quicker than starting from scratch. Adding old/used water will do almost nothing and won't make your new tank many more mature at all.

If you can fill your new filter completely with used media from the existing filter without harming your main tank cycle, then your new filter will basically be instantly matured as you have completely old/used bacteria laden media in there ready for fish. But that will of course depend on the size of the new filter.

Either way, adding mature media is the quickest way to speed up a cycle or create an instant one.

 

[coldcazzie]

New filter is much smaller than current one, so that would be fine.

So the issues with rummys/neons/cardinals liking mature tanks is still a filter issue?

 

[Honeythorn]

Yes, it's the filter that matures, not the tank and the stuff in it. The water doesn't because you do water changes ( or at least I hope you do ) which refreshes it, and the main colony of your bacteria is inside the filter media ( a small amount is present in your water and in the substrate, and on all surfaces ).

So if you fill the new filter compltely with old media, you have an instantly matured filter.

Adding quarter - half the water to the new tank, from the mature one will help to alleviate stress from having a full tank of completely " bare" new tapwater ( despite dechlorinator ) It will also be less of a shock to the bacteria in the filter when it's switched on and the water passes through.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi coldcazzie

The general rule is that the beneficial bacteria in the filter media in one tank will support the same amount of fish no matter how many tanks it's divided up into. Just remember not to add more fish to a newly cloned tank than the bacteria in it will support. Add fish right away and then give it a week or two to be sure that it is settled and regenerating before adding new fish, a few at a time. The bacteria will reproduce until it has increased sufficiently to eliminate their waste chemicals too. In other words, stock the new tank gently at first.

I always use 1/4 to 1/3 of a tank of old tank water when setting up another tank. While there are few beneficial bacteria in it, it does seem to make the new set up have fewer bubbles forming in it and the ones that do form are eliminated more easily.

Some fish need algae as part of their diet and a tank being set up for them will take longer to prepare than for fish that don't need it.

 

[andywg]

There seems to be some confusion between similar terms above.

A mature filter is one which supports a bacterial colony large enough to deal with the nitrogenous waste produced by the bioload in the tank.

A mature tank (with 6 months often being noted) usually is reference to a tank which has been running long enugh for a biofilm to develop (more information here).

Some fish seem to do poorly in tanks that are "immature" even if they have been cycled or cloned.

In theory you should be able to move fish into a new tank provided you use mature media, but just keep a closer eye on them for the first few weeks. Moving ornaments and some of the substrate may assist in importing some biofilm and adding to the likelihood of success.

 

[raptorrex]

It's not the actual glass tank and it's contents or water that is classed as mature, it's the filter.

Andy beat me to it. but you were not confused, by the term.

There seems to be some confusion between similar terms above.

A mature filter is one which supports a bacterial colony large enough to deal with the nitrogenous waste produced by the bioload in the tank.

A mature tank (with 6 months often being noted) usually is reference to a tank which has been running long enugh for a biofilm to develop (more information here).

 

[coldcazzie]

yeh that's what I meant....

 

[OohFeeshy]

You should be fine- with most fish that are reccomended for mature tanks, it's mainly because they're sensitive to ammonia and such and with a new tank there's always the risk that it isn't completely cycled. As long as you keep a close eye on water stats and the fish (watching out for rapid breathing etc) then there shouldn't be a problem.