New Tank

[-SPB-]

I've got a new tank in my house, 2ft roughly 95l, my sisters new tank. Got a fluval 3+ for it today. I've got 3 options for cycling it, but not sure of the best one. Heres the 3 options:

1. Fishless cycle.

2. Mature Media. Heres the one i'm not sure about. I've myself have got a 4ft tank, i'm currently cycling a new filter, got it on monday, tetratec ex 1200 running alongside my old filter rena filstar xp2. I put some of the media from my xp 2 into my new tetratec to help it along the way. I'm planning on keeping both in my 4ft. Would it be safe to put some mature media from the xp2 to the fluval, considering i've only just transfered some of the xp's media to the tetratec??

3. Bactinates. I'm going to be paying a visit to Maidenhead Aquatics over the weekend and they sell Bactinates. Is this stuff really any good. I've read so many mixed reviews about it.

Your help on this matter would be greatly appreciated!!!!!

 

[backtotropical]

Hi,

My thoughts are as follows

1. Fishless cycle is always a good option (unless a better option comes along, which in this case, it has).

2. It will be fine to take mature media from the XP2 to the Fluval. Although you have recently taken mature media to the EX1200, it doesn't really have any effect on the filtering capacity of the 4ft because it is still filtering the same tank. In effect, you have taken mature media from one tank to use it on the same tank, if you see what i mean. The 4ft actually still has the same number of bacteria filtering it at the moment, regardless of what filter casing they are in.

As cloning a filter is the fastest way to do it, i recommend that this is your best option. You will be able to add fish to the new tank straight away.

3. Bactinettes do work, but beware they only contain Nitrosomonas bacteria. This is the bacteria which processes ammonia into nitrite. They do not contain Nitrospira (which processes nitrite into nitrate), so using bactinettes will avoid ammonia spikes, but will do nothing to avoid nitrite spikes unfortunately. I would consider this to be the worst of the 3 options.

HTH

BTT

 

[rdd1952]

Actually, the best option is a combination of 1 & 2. Use media from your established tank and then do a fishless cycle. The time required to complete it should only be a few days to a week depending on how much media you use but since you are starting with a mini colony of bacteria, it doesn't take long for it to grow to he size you want.

To get an idea of the time difference required for a straight fishless cycle and one using seed media, consider the old thing we used to hear about starting with a penny in a jar and every day adding enough to the jar to double the amount in it from the previous day. Believe it or not, it 28 days, you would have over a million dollars. Consider the same thing with bacteria. If you start with one bacteria and they double every 24 hours, then in 21 days you have over a million bacteria. If you start with seed media that has say, 1,000 bacteria it only takes 11 days to reach a million. So the seed bacteria is extremely helpful in getting the cycle completed in a shorter period of time.

 

[backtotropical]

Actually, the best option is a combination of 1 & 2. Use media from your established tank and then do a fishless cycle. The time required to complete it should only be a few days to a week depending on how much media you use but since you are starting with a mini colony of bacteria, it doesn't take long for it to grow to he size you want.

To get an idea of the time difference required for a straight fishless cycle and one using seed media, consider the old thing we used to hear about starting with a penny in a jar and every day adding enough to the jar to double the amount in it from the previous day. Believe it or not, it 28 days, you would have over a million dollars. Consider the same thing with bacteria. If you start with one bacteria and they double every 24 hours, then in 21 days you have over a million bacteria. If you start with seed media that has say, 1,000 bacteria it only takes 11 days to reach a million. So the seed bacteria is extremely helpful in getting the cycle completed in a shorter period of time.

I don't agree that fishless cycling is required here, RDD. If Sambangert takes half the media from the 4ft to the 2ft (assuming his stocking will be approx half of the 4ft), the mature media will take care of it no problem. No bottled ammonia required. Your theory is sound, but i don't think it's necessary.

BTT

 

[rdd1952]

What you are saying is true and indeed there should be enough bacteria to handle the stock of a 2' tank provided you move half of the media (a quarter would probably be fine too as it would only have to double once to get to full size). However, if you are going to have to set the tank up and let it run a few days to allow the water to clear, allow any dust from the substrate to settle or simply until you can get to the LFS, you will need to feed the bacteria so you may as well add a couple ppm of ammonia just to make sure everything is in order. Obviously, you could set it up and get everything running and then move the bacteria over when you add the fish but for a canister filter, it seems like a good bit of trouble to have to open the filter to add the seed media.

 

[backtotropical]

I was referring to moving the media at the same time as introducing the fish. I agree that if the media is moved and there will be a delay before the fish are added, adding bottled ammonia is a good idea, although i can't think of any reason to move the media first. Surely that is just adding another (unnecessary) step to the process?

Anyway, confusion cleared up.

 

[-SPB-]

So, if adding mature media to the fluval 3, considering that i've taken media from the xp 2 to the tetratec it won't affect my 4ft, if you get my drift!!!


Last thing i want to do is stress my fish!!!

 

[Hollymolly4]

I cycled my last 2 tanks with mature filters and some media from an older tank and had no problems with the original tank or the new one. The new tank cycled very quickly. I added 2 fish to my 55 gallon the same day I put the mature media in then (while also checking the levels) added more fish slowly over the next couple weeks. Everything went fine.
Just my 2 cents. Good luck!

 

[Tolak]

I haven't cycled a tank since 2004, over 20 tanks with cloned filters. Guesstimate the bio load on the mature media and don't take more than half, 1/3 is better. Go easy on the feeding for the first week after setting up a tank with mature media and you are good to go. Feed the tank you took the media from lightly as well.

 

[-SPB-]

Thanks a lot guys. Been a big help.