Used Filter Cartridges When Cycling Tank...

[dcj38]

Is it possible I could go to the lfs or to my friend and use one of their used filter cartridges to speed up the cycle of my tank?? If I did this would this cycle my tank instantly? Since my nitrites are like 3.0 would this affect anything?

 

[Durbkat]

If you could get a filter cartridge from a friend that has a tank with no sick fish then you could use it to clone (instantly cycle) your tank and it would help even more if you could get some gravel also. Be sure to keep the filter cartridge and the gravel in a bag or bucket of tank water and bring it home as fast as you can and add fish to the tank shortly after putting the filter cartridge in the filter and the gravel in the tank and monitor your water stats.

 

[dcj38]

instead of putting fish in the tank could i just add 3 drops of ammonia per 10 gallon a day?

 

[Durbkat]

I'm not sure because I fish cycled my 10g and long 20g before I found this place and I cloned my 55g by putting the filter from my long 20g into the 55g and I put about 10 pounds of gravel from the 20g into the 55g and then shortly afterwards (I only had 3 long finned black widow tetras, 4 regular finned black widow tetras, and 1 common pleco) I put the 3 long finned black widow tetras in the 55g then after 45 minutes I put the regular finned black widow tetras in then after another 45 minutes I put the pleco in. Does your pet store not have the fish you wanted to put in the tank yet?

 

[dcj38]

well i ordered an oscar, an electric blue dempsey, and 5 silver dollars from one of my lfs, and the silver dollars havent come in yet. But is this a possibility to instantly cycle my tank by putting used filter media in my tank?

 

[dcj38]

my lfs said that i could come up and they would squeeze water out of there sponges into a bucket so i could put it in my 90 gallon. would this do the trick??? Need an answer real soon as my dads going out in about 2 mins.

 

[Nevergone815]

my lfs said that i could come up and they would squeeze water out of there sponges into a bucket so i could put it in my 90 gallon. would this do the trick??? Need an answer real soon as my dads going out in about 2 mins.

although it might nt be as effective, this will help speed things up tremendously

good luck!

 

[fishfishfish]

when my friends start tanks i give them some of my water.i syphon up about 15% of my best water out of either tank(test to find out) and i give them my filter cartridge for about 2 days

 

[Durbkat]

well i ordered an oscar, an electric blue dempsey, and 5 silver dollars from one of my lfs, and the silver dollars havent come in yet. But is this a possibility to instantly cycle my tank by putting used filter media in my tank?

Yes you can do this, its called "cloning a tank" and you just take filter media and gravel from a established tank and place it into the new tank which instantly cycles it.

my lfs said that i could come up and they would squeeze water out of there sponges into a bucket so i could put it in my 90 gallon. would this do the trick??? Need an answer real soon as my dads going out in about 2 mins.

No this will not do anything what so ever. The water has nothing beneficial in it its the filter media (pads) that you will need to clone the tank.

 

[Dorkhedeos]

No this will not do anything what so ever. The water has nothing beneficial in it its the filter media (pads) that you will need to clone the tank.

not 100% true, there has to be some beneficial bacteria in the water, its just that there isnt as much as the filter media.