adding used media to safestart cycle

G

gbone

New Fish
#1
Mar 28, 2013
3
0
0
#1
Im a newbie to fishkeeping so dont be too harsh

I have an established goldfish tank and i have just started a tropical tank with safestart and a few fish

would it help or hinder if i put a filter sponge from my existing tank into the new tank and would it be bad for my established tank,i have a fluval filter with 3 compartments,sponge carbon and bio balls on the established tank and one of the sponges would fit perfectly into the filter on the new tank would the rest of the established filter be affected?
 

T

Thyra

Superstar Fish
#2
Jun 2, 2010
1,891
0
0
Yelm, WA
#2
Oh my, I don't know where to start. First of all, I am going to assume you read the instructions on Safestart and that it is okay to put fish in right away. I am sure it will help to transfer filter media to get the beneficial bacterial started. My real question is do you understand cycling and testing your water for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate so that you can keep your fish safe? We will need more details about tank size and equipment and fish in order to be more helpful.
 

G

gbone

New Fish
#3
Mar 28, 2013
3
0
0
#3
Thyra said:
Oh my, I don't know where to start. First of all, I am going to assume you read the instructions on Safestart and that it is okay to put fish in right away. I am sure it will help to transfer filter media to get the beneficial bacterial started. My real question is do you understand cycling and testing your water for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate so that you can keep your fish safe? We will need more details about tank size and equipment and fish in order to be more helpful.
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yes i read the instructions and yes you are supposed to put the fish in right away

i just wanted to know if using some of my old sponge would help or hinder the safestart process im assuming help but its nice to get an opinion or two

yes i understand what cycling is,but thought i would give safestart a try as it has a lot of good reviews

my tank is 55 gallons and at the minute there are just a few very small platys in there
 

T

Thyra

Superstar Fish
#4
Jun 2, 2010
1,891
0
0
Yelm, WA
#4
Do you own a test kit? Everyone here pretty much recommends the API freshwater liquid test kit. You need at least the test for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Drs. Foster and Smith have it for $23.99 ( I started a Thread a couple of days ago with a little more info about their catalog. The Thread is entitle "Not Just for Beginners".) The test kit to know your water parameters is very important - that and probably daily 30% water changes until you know your tank is cycled and stable.
 

G

gbone

New Fish
#5
Mar 28, 2013
3
0
0
#5
Thyra said:
Do you own a test kit? Everyone here pretty much recommends the API freshwater liquid test kit. You need at least the test for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Drs. Foster and Smith have it for $23.99 ( I started a Thread a couple of days ago with a little more info about their catalog. The Thread is entitle "Not Just for Beginners".) The test kit to know your water parameters is very important - that and probably daily 30% water changes until you know your tank is cycled and stable.
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you are not supposed to do a water change for 14 days with safe start ,i have the api kit but you are supposed to let the cycle do its thing for the first few days anyway

all i wanted to know is will a squeeze of an established sponge into my tank help at all?
 

T

Thyra

Superstar Fish
#7
Jun 2, 2010
1,891
0
0
Yelm, WA
#7
Yes, I am sure it will. I did not know Safestart says not to do water changes for 14 days. I do know that if you detect any ammonia at all you are suppose to change some of the water and keep it at zero.
 

FishDad

FishDad

Superstar Fish
#8
Mar 4, 2012
1,218
1
38
Cleveland
#8
Dude, ditch that safe start crap. If all you have is a few platies in 55 gallons of water you should be ok with just daily water changes. Water changes are the best thing you can do for a fish tank. No chemical can immitate a water change.

Yes old filter media in a new tank is always a plus.

Just monitor your levels with what Thyra recommended, API master kit. It will take about a month or so for you tank to cycle so just be patient, don't add any more fish until then and change like 25% of the water daily until you see ammonia/nitrite disappear. I can't stress the water changes enough though, I have 5 tanks and do 50% changes every week. They will save you $$$ and stress.
 

exhumed07

exhumed07

Superstar Fish
#9
Apr 30, 2006
1,774
0
36
Illinois
#9
i agree with everyone about water changes and i add filter media myself to help cycle my new tanks. it helps ALOT in my opinion. once the cycle is over water changes are still important but u can get away with 25% a week or 50% every 2 weeks. not recomending that but just stating that once it is cycled it is much more forgiving. just remember though. test test and test again while the tank is cycling.
 

R

Rotaripsnoc

Large Fish
#10
Feb 18, 2013
194
0
0
#10
Just my 2 cents on the topic. I've used filter media in the past to jump start a tank, however, as you know you need ammonia to begin the cycle, I've found it best to wait till your ammonia levels rise a bit, then add the media containing bacteria cultures.

This allows you a couple of benefits. One you can tell pretty quickly if the media you add contain bacteria ( ammonia will drop ) it also ensures the beneficial bacteria do not die, as they have a source of food.

The other item, when you perform water changes, be sure you dechlorinate the water before adding it. Chlorine \ Ammonia are added to water supplies to fight bacterial growths, and it could harm any beneficial bacteria cultures you're growing.

As FishDad said, ignore the safe start info. Be sure to measure your ammonia \ nitrites and nitrates.
 

FreshyFresh

FreshyFresh

Superstar Fish
#11
Jan 11, 2013
1,337
23
38
East Aurora, NY
#11
I'm not quite sure about the whole need a food source in the tank at all times, or the BB will die scenario.

Based on the reading I've done, some say the BB will die, others insist it will just lie dormant, provided it's kept in it's water environment.

I know in the case of my fishless cycling by adding household ammonia, I stopped feeding the tanks a week or two before adding fish. No issues at all cycle wise.
 

exhumed07

exhumed07

Superstar Fish
#12
Apr 30, 2006
1,774
0
36
Illinois
#12
i've always put in the used media as soon as the tank is setup and i add fish. imediatly the fish produce ammonia providing a food for the BB. they may fast for a bit. but the bb wont die i don't think.
 

T

Thyra

Superstar Fish
#13
Jun 2, 2010
1,891
0
0
Yelm, WA
#13
I have read that many bacteria can be dormant for a long time and then revitalize when conditions are right. Its an interesting subject but as my grandson (a biologist) says,"There is no funding for research on aquarium bacteria."
 

exhumed07

exhumed07

Superstar Fish
#15
Apr 30, 2006
1,774
0
36
Illinois
#15
exactly fishdad, u have to hope a biologist who happens to be an aquareist does some independant research and if that case happens most likely nothing will be published to the comunity about it or it will be some little obscure blip somewhere.
 

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