Seeding A Tank Advice

[kitty falol]

Hi

I've offered to donate my filter sponge and a carbon star to a friend who's setting up their own tank. This has been sitting in our tank with some gravel in a stocking for the last couple of weeks while our new filter sponge has been whirring away. I've just tested my water levels and everything is still perfect

They're coming round tonight to pick up this stocking full of 'stuff' and I know that I need to keep it wet, but I was wondering, should I do a gravel vac and give them the stocking in a bag of dirty water, or should I just scoop out some water from the top of the tank to give it to them? Is there a benefit to giving them a bag of pooey water???

I just hope everything I've done so far has been correct? I'd love some reassurances.

Thank you so much in anticipation

Kathryn

 

[FBF]

nahh give them the stocking in water. it must be kept damp and warm speed is important too left too long it'll be a waste of time. no need for the poo or any water really it'd be negligible. they do need fish in the tank so that theres a supply of ammonia for the bacteria to feed on as soon as its in the new tank, putting it in a tank of water alone will be a waste of time

 

[kitty falol]

Aah right! I didn't know about the ammonia factor. The tank is empty of fish at the moment as it's only been filled with water for a fortnight.

So if he was to add ammonia, rather than fish, I'm assuming that that would have the same effect and if so, what kind of levels would he need? I think it's a 480 litre tank

Thank you so much for your reply!

 

[FBF]

i always seed my tanks ive never had to do a fishless cycle. so amounts i cant help you with.

im always intrigued buy people that run a tank for two weeks. seems totally pointless to me. ive never done that before and never had any problems. as soon as the tank is up to temp i seed it. i think the whole leave your tank running idea is an old myth. other than to let chlorine evaporate i see no advantage. (even then you may still have chloramines in the water anyway, which is why we always treat water for the tank)

 

[kitty falol]

OK, thanks for that anyway. You've been very helpful! I'll do a search on the ammonia levels.

Kathryn

 

[FBF]

always a pleasure never a chore

 

[FBF]

on second thoughts theres no need to do a fishless cycle . as soon as you add the stocking the tank is pretty much instantly cycled anyway. just add the fish then the stocking. bobs your uncle. then a weekly water change for ever more will see healthy happy fish putting in the ammonia would be pointless