Using Media From 20 Gallon To Cycle 55 Gallon Tank

MrNiceGuy · Mar 7, 2010

I have a 20 gallon tank that has been up and running for about a year now. I want to use the filter media to instantly cycle a 55 gallon.

The 20 gallon is filtered with 3 sponge filters.

how should i go about doing this?

MrNiceGuy · Mar 7, 2010

Inchworm · Mar 7, 2010

Hi MrNiceGuy

If you set your 55 gallon tank up using dechlorinated water and move all three filters, you can move the fish at the same time. Do water tests for a week or two and when you are sure all is stable, start adding more fish a few at a time.

Alternately, if you want to keep both tanks running, move one with 1/3 of the fish, or 2 and 2/3 of the fish. Again, add additional fish slowly so that the beneficial bacteria have a chance to catch up.

Another alternative is to use a little of the media to jump start a fishless cycle. Inquire in the "Your New Freshwater Tank" section for help with this.

MrNiceGuy · Mar 7, 2010

Inchworm said:
Hi MrNiceGuy

If you set your 55 gallon tank up using dechlorinated water and move all three filters, you can move the fish at the same time. Do water tests for a week or two and when you are sure all is stable, start adding more fish a few at a time.

Alternately, if you want to keep both tanks running, move one with 1/3 of the fish, or 2 and 2/3 of the fish. Again, add additional fish slowly so that the beneficial bacteria have a chance to catch up.

Another alternative is to use a little of the media to jump start a fishless cycle. Inquire in the "Your New Freshwater Tank" section for help with this.

thank you

but what im trying to do is cycle the 55 gallon with the 20 gallons media while the 20 gallon is still running. i don't plan on moving any of the fish that are in the 20 gallon tank.

my understanding is that i can somehow quickly cycle the new filter on the 55 gallon, which i haven't bought yet, by using the media from one or two of my mature sponge filters. obviously i'd end up with some dead fish if i took out all three of the 20 gallons filters.

so am i wrong about this?

Tolak · Mar 7, 2010

Take out no more than 1/3 of the mature media from the cycled tank. Fast for 24 hours before removing the media, and feed lightly for the next week, about 1/3 normal. Less food means less waste produced, this helps to avoid spikes in the donor tank.

The donor tank as well as the new tank will need daily water tests to be on the safe side, you can stock the 55 with the transferred media at about 1/3 the stocking rate of the donor tank.

MrNiceGuy · Mar 7, 2010

Tolak said:
Take out no more than 1/3 of the mature media from the cycled tank. Fast for 24 hours before removing the media, and feed lightly for the next week, about 1/3 normal. Less food means less waste produced, this helps to avoid spikes in the donor tank.

The donor tank as well as the new tank will need daily water tests to be on the safe side, you can stock the 55 with the transferred media at about 1/3 the stocking rate of the donor tank.

fast for 24 days? how long can fish go without food?