Would This Work?

[buffalogal]

While I'm waiting for my tank to finish fishless cycling, my boyfriend, comiserating with me, came up with this idea:

When my tank is done cycling I need to do an 80% water change before I get the fish. Could I use that water to start up my new hex tank and drastically cut down on the cycling time? Or would it not work because of all the nitrate in that water? It's basically seeding the tank, right? Plus I would be adding the spare sponge filter that's been in my goldfishes tank for 2 weeks. The hex tank is bigger, so it wouldn't be all old water and I would feed it ammonia daily like a regular fishless cycle.

Is that feasible? Thanks! Guess I'm just anxious now that I'm realizing how long it takes.

 

[rdd1952]

There aren't enough bacteria free floating in the water for it to matter. There is a very small amount but it is also present in your tap water (maybe more as most in the tank would have colonized the filter). the quickest way to speed your cycling of the new tank is to seed the tank with media( sponge, ceramic rings, even carbon) from the tank that just finished cycling. There will be plenty of bacteria present so removing some media won't hurt at all.

 

[Rooster]

Water contains only waste product.... theres no advantage to reusing it, it contains nothing of benefit I'm afraid, down the drain with it !