Cycling brackish tank

[Joshjr619]

I want to start cycling a new tank for brackish fish with 3 Mollys. Can I just add substrate with minimum decor (2 plastic plants) and than later on add my full on 'masterpiece' later down the road. Will adding a lot of decor later and changing out the 2 plants affect my cycling process?

 

[Dan Steveo]

If you're putting bits and pieces from an already cycled tank it will speed up the process. but i wouldnt trust it to be cycled until all levels are good on tests.

Removing bits and pieces from a new tank after about a few weeks shouldn't have a big effect. any bacteria would have multiplied exponentially onto surroundings in a short time.. a week perhaps, however it is the same again. Keep an eye on levels of ammonia and nitrite.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

Adding decor won't effect a cycle at all. Removing 2 plastic plants won't have any impact either. If you were to take out all the substrate, that would be different. The bacteria will grow on any surface in the tank, so technically some will be growing on the plants and walls and heater and everything, but the majority are in the substrate and in the filter media. So those are the two things you don't want to pull out while trying to cycle, especially not at the same time.

Also - since you already have a FW tank, it would be worthwhile to take the used filter media from the 10g, and swish it around in the new tank or even hang it on the side of the tank for a few days. That should give you a pretty instant cycle, depending on what level of salinity your brackish tank will be.