NEW TANK!!! -cycling help if you please

[Sherriff]

HELLOOOO!
-My first ever post so please be gentle with me haha.

Right, i am in the lucky position to have a brand new 108gal (410litre) tank coming my way this weekend.
The problem is how to start off, i currently have a 70litre tank which is host to my first batch of fish i intend to add to my new tank, these have been going for quite a while now and consist of 12 neon tetra, 6 zebra Danio and 1 angel fish. The plan would be to increase my shoal size of tetra to about 20/30 (awesome looking in this size) and of course increase my danio shoal.
I'd just like a bit of advice as to the cycling of such a large tank (the largest ive cycled is my current 70litre done by simply adding fish and using my old filter) but i intend to start completely from scratch and use my 70litre to quarantine all new fish before theyre tossed into the big one!
So, ive jabbered on for long enough i would like some cycling advice and stocking advice, just want to keep this whole process as quick and painless(for the fish that is) as possible!

THANKYOU IN ADVANCE!!!

 

[CAPSLOCK]

If you move the current used 70l filter media over to the new tank, and don't add any new fish for a bit, you should have little to no cycle. If you are having the same type of gravel / substrate, you could also grab a handful of that and sprinkle it throughout the new tank, but it isn't necessary. The filter media in the 70l will contain most of the bacteria. So moving those few fish into such a big tank, combined with the current bacteria colony, I doubt you'd see any ammonia at all. Then as the new fish are being QTed in the 70l, there will be enough time in between adding each group of fish for the bacteria to catch up. And if you leave the substrate in the 70l, you won't have to worry about the QT tank needing to be cycled.

For such a big tank, consider some bottom feeders as well - cory cats would fit nicely with your stocking plan. Or there are lots of other options.

 

[FreshyFresh]

Yep, you've got the idea situation Sherriff. No need to start from scratch with the new, big tank.

Like CL suggests, swap the established filter and/or a bunch of established hard scape to the new tank and you're good to go.

You might want to monitor the ammonia and nitrite readings closely for a week or so just to be sure.

 

[Sherriff]

Thankyou guys for such a speedy response! As I still intend to run my 70l I have ordered a new filter for the larger tank(obviously it also needed a higher power). My current filter is just a bog standard immersed filter(think its the stingray or something just contains carbon and some spongers) so not sure how this whole filter media jazz works out in this case!
-whilst on this topic, recommended media for the big tank?
Ill be using much of the gravel and plants currently in there so ill have a small bacteria transferal there. Just the filtration that's a bugger, don't wanna kill any of my baby's putting them in their new home!

 

[CAPSLOCK]

I have no idea what a "Bog" filter is - but if it has sponges, either take on of those out and hang it in the new tank, cram it in the filter in the new tank, or give it a good ol' squish and swirl in the new tank so some of the "crud" (and thus bacteria) comes off - it will do the same thing. With just a few fish moving into over 100g, and good bacteria being transferred, you shouldn't have any problem with a cycle. But like Freshy said, testing for ammonia / nitrites daily for the first week would be a good idea to be sure.

 

[Sherriff]

I do apologise, 'bog standard' is a figure of speach I forgot you're not likely to be from around here!
So I'll whack my filter sponge into the new tank and away we go! Yeah, ill keep an eye on them as always anyway!
What kind of media would you recommend for the 100gal tank, first time I've had one that comes with tray you fill with you're own media!
-started of a fun project, now the tanks coming I'm getting scared! :s

Thankyou both for your help once again!