Cheating at Cycling- small tank

[Parkedout]

So the ten gallon did not work in the kitchen, it's almost touching the cabinet so I switched tanks with my mother in law, who had a five gallon.

I had to clean it pretty aggressively with a bleach waters solution, she once had a pond snail infestation and just the thought of them freaks me out!

Needless to say I saved my ten gallon gravel and filter pad which was a cycled tank. All of my readings this morning say 0 for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. A betta is in the tank along with a nerite snail. I'm prepared to do water changes everyday if I have to in order to keep them healthy. But my 29 gallon is cycled. Can I put a new small pad in that tank and get the bacteria that way? If I do that how long should j keep it in the cycled tank to get it right?

 

[CAPSLOCK]

The easiest way would be to take the used filter cartridge (or similar) from your 29g and just swish it rigorously in the new tank. That'll move over some of the bacteria into the new tank. You can also do the other way, probably a week or so in the 29g will let the new pad get some bacteria on it. If it has been a few days and the ammonia / nitrite are staying 0 in the 5g, you should start to see some nitrates and that will indicate that it is cycled.

 

[Thyra]

I agreed with Capslock. The main thing is to keep testing your water and change enough water to keep the ammonia and nitrite at zero. Even if you didn't swap filters, you will eventually get nitrates and the tank cycled - it will just take a while longer with out that seeding.

 

[FishDad]

I have used established filter media many, many times to avoid a cycle. Never had any problems with it. Just monitor the tank.

 

[Parkedout]

Thanks for all the replies.

I am going to do both I think. I have the new filter pad sitting in the 29gal tank. I am also going to be taking one of the filter pads out of the 29 gal filter (it has two) and swishing that in the new tank.


Along with daily water checks (and changes whenever necessary). I rinsed my gravel/rocks with tap water (older, bad habit!) and I bet that is why the new tank has to start all over. I thought by saving the rocks I would be fine. OF COURSE I shouldn't have rinsed them in tap water though. Defeats the whole purpose.

 

[exhumed07]

i agree, ever since i got my 55 i have never cycled a tank since just by using the filter media from my 55. i run heavy filtration on my tanks. even my 20 gallon takes the same cartrage as my 55. I have found that the best way. i will give filter media to friends who are starting up new tanks. i just talk them into buying a filter that takes the same cartrages as mine and trade out the media.

and as for the pond snails, y do they freak u out? i for one love snails in my tanks. even the little pond snails in my planted cause they eat the leaves that fall off my plants that don't make it to the surface for me to pull out. also they are pretty easy to keep in check with regular cleaning to avoid food sources for them. also kooli loaches work pretty good as well. i used to be able to see hundreds in my 20 gallon but after adding the loaches i only see a few here and there. maybe a dozen or so at a time. i also found tetra algae control works rather well at killing snails. found out by accident though lol. it realy is important to read the directions and wanrnings fully before using products. right at the bottom of the lable it warns not to use in tanks with inverts. i had to restock the tank with snails a couple weeks later lol.

 

[Parkedout]

I'm not a heavy feeder, so snails have never been an issue for me. I've heard the horror stories though, so I will just stick with my little nerite snail who is in the 5 gallon with the betta. His name is Bump- (as in bump on a log, since he is mostly always on the driftwood . Lol)

Update on te cycling, I tested the water this morning and needed to do a water change - the ammonia was up to .25 so when the water was changed I took that opportunity to swish the 29 gallons filter pad around and hopefully 'seeded' my little tank. If not, I still have the new filter pad in the 29 gallons filter getting all bacteria'ed (lol) although its only been three days, so I will give it at least a week.

 

[FreshyFresh]

Update on te cycling, I tested the water this morning and needed to do a water change - the ammonia was up to .25

Just out of curiosity, were you showing any nitrites along with the ammonia? At a minimum, you should test for both.

Joel

 

[Parkedout]

I tested ammonia, nitrates, nitrites.

My 29 gallon is 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and 20ppm nitrates.

The 5 gallon was at 0.25 ammonia, 0 nitrates, and the nitrites were inconclusive in that they were not the flat light blue of the zero reading but not yet purpley enough to get to the next shade on the card. When I noted it down I considered the nitrites 'trace'

 

[FreshyFresh]

Watch the nitrite reading carefully (with the API kit). If it instantly turns purple, then fades to a blue/gray, it's actually off the charts high on nitrites. Re-measure after big water change if it's questionable.

Joel