How Long

[UP UP AND GUPPY]

How long do you think it might take to do a fishless cycle in a 20g?

 

[Pure]

1 to 1 1/2 months

 

[UP UP AND GUPPY]

Okay thanks, are swordtails or bettas hardy enough to cycle a tank?

 

[Lotus]

If you're using gravel from an established tank and some filter media from an established tank, it can take as little as a week.

 

[UP UP AND GUPPY]

Yeah see what I plan on doing is put my artificial plants in the tank, swish the filter in the water of the new tank, move the gravel over to the tank and an ornament. But see my current fish are in a 10g: 3 Flame Tetras, 1 Male Betta, 1 Rubberlip Plecostumus. Would I be able to use them to help with the tank cycle with out any major problems?

 

[Pure]

No. None of those fish are suitable for cycleing a tank. A better option would be to take the floss and cartridge from the old established filter and put it in the filter of the new tank. The old tank should have enough bacteria every where else for it to kepp running safly. This will speed your cycle up, and chances are you will not even see a cycle in th new tank.

 

[UP UP AND GUPPY]

So doing that it should only take about a week?

 

[Pure]

If that. I've done this many times and every time I never even saw a spike of any kind. Just don't go bananas on stocking until the new tank is established.

 

[Lotus]

If you plan to do a fishless cycle, do one. Don't put your fish at risk or do something that's detrimental to their health if you don't have to, or know better.

 

[UP UP AND GUPPY]

Well I'm not putting the fish in I think I'm just going to use the cartridge.

 

[FroggyFox]

Fishless cycle for me I usually give myself 2 weeks to get a tank cycled. You should seed the tank a few times during the cycle, make sure you dont do any water changes, crank the heat up in the tank to at least 80, dont overdo the ammonia and you should be set. Just take your tests every other day or so and wait it out.

 

[UP UP AND GUPPY]

Will do froggy.

 

[Seleya]

Are you emptying the tank? That would be a factor in the equation. However, I wouldn't take anything from the 10 since you posted on another thread that your levels are way off. Until THAT tank is cycled, your fish depend on every little bacteria in it getting up and running asap.

 

[UP UP AND GUPPY]

Well I wont be getting my new tank for a while and I think everything should be fine in a month.