cycle new tank

[rb6161]

i got a new 30 gallon tank. plus i have a 65 gallon tank that has been running for two years now.when i set up the new tank i took about 10 gallons of water from the old tank and a bunch of gravel. put it in the new tank to help it cycle. will that work? and should it take as long to cycle?

 

[discus4everGrl]

The water won't help. Seeding with gravel should help as long as the ammonia and nitrite levels are zero in the other tank. Also, you can put a piece of floss from the cycled tank in the filter of the new one to help it along. It will still take time to cycle though.

 

[FroggyFox]

There isn't much bacteria in the water you move from one tank to the other, gravel will help more if you have an undergravel filter in your 65. If you have a powerfilter on your 65, the best thing you can do is once you get that new tank cycling (declorinated, added ammonia, filter going, right temperature) swish that filter cartridge in the new tank from your old tank every few days. Each time you transfer bacteria from an established tank to a cycling tank it speeds things up. The most bacteria in your established tank is where the water flows through/past the most, meaning your filter.

Here check out this thread...I got my 46 done in two weeks! http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/showthread.php?t=26438 it will still take awhile for you to cycle...but not nearly as long as a tank that you dont seed.